Disclaimer: I would own RK but that restraining order against me still holds. Yeesh, stalk someone's house once and they never forget it…

A/N: It's SUMMER!!!! YAY!!! Now I can update more!!! Sorry for taking so long to update but my computer wasn't working!!

Step by Step, Little by Little

Ch. 5 Girls and Boys

Recap: He had only cared about Hiko until her… Until he met her on a rainy day. Until she came smiling into his life and when she left his heart broken. Her…the iris in the rain…the only women he ever loved…the only women who had hurt him without raising a hand… Tomoe Yukishiro…

The bell rang, startling Kenshin from his thoughts. Why did I just think of that? Kenshin shook his head and followed Kaoru to her next class. The rest of the morning went uneventful except for a few glares from Enishi to Kenshin which were ignored. Then it was time for lunch.

They all got their food and went to sit a table outside. "Ah, lunch, my favorite part of the day." Misao commented while she sat between Kaoru and Aoshi.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and looked at Kenshin. "Okay, Kenshin, spill it."

Kenshin, who was in the process of opening his milk carton, raised an eyebrow. "You want me to spill my milk?"

Kaoru ignored Sano's and Misao's laughs and rolled her eyes again. "Ha ha. No, I want you to tell me what's going on between you and Enishi."

"Well, Kamiya, the world doesn't go the way you want it to." Kenshin replied.

"Will you please tell me what's between you and Enishi." Kaoru asked through gritted teeth.

Kenshin regarded her with blank eyes. "A woman." He said after a beat.

"That doesn't tell me much." Kaoru complained.

"I think I know what happened." Sano interrupted.

"See, Himura and Yukishiro both fell in love with a woman." Sano continued. "They both chased after her and went head to head in a bloody fight. Then when Kenshin won and was about to ask her out, she left them both for a tall rich guy, leaving Kenshin's heart, and Enishi's face, broken."

They all stared at Sano. He shrugged. "Well, that's what was rumored to happen the last time the Battousai was heard of. Right, Himura Battousai?" He asked looking at Kenshin.

Kenshin smirked. "Well that's pretty much what happened except the girl was Enishi's sister and why she left I don't know and don't care. Tell me, how did you figure out I was the Battousai?"

"There aren't too many people with red hair and a cross-shaped scar. I was known as Zanza back in my street days." Sano added in as an afterthought.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow at the world 'Zanza'. "Hmm…I'd heard of you. Interesting that you're now at this school. If I didn't know better I'd say someone was planning all this." (A/N: No, it is just a coincidence…or is it…laughs maniacally)

There was a brief moment of silence after Kenshin spoke.

Misao cleared her throat. "Well, anyways. Kaoru you're going to try out for kendo again, aren't you?"

"Of course. You too, right?"

"Yeah. What about you guys?" Misao asked everyone.

"Sure. I have nothing better to do." Sano shrugged.

"It will be fun." Soujiro said.

Aoshi just nodded.

Kenshin sighed. "Like I have choice."

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked.

"I have to stay with you at all possible times. If you are joining the kendo team, then I have to join the kendo team." Kenshin explained slowly, like he was talking to a 5 year old.

Whatever comment Kaoru was about to make was cut short by Megumi entering. "There you are. Why do you keep changing where you sit?"

"To get away from you." Kaoru muttered. Misao muffled a giggle.

"Now that isn't nice." Megumi said glaring at Kaoru and Misao.

"Neither are you." Misao retorted. The bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

Class

They walked into class and sat down. A few minutes later the teacher walked in. He was tall with bluish-black hair cut short at the back and long at the front (A/N: It's Capt. Souzou Sagara, for all those who are wondering.).

"Today class, we will start learning about the Meiji Era in Japan." He turned around and started writing on the board.

The class went by rather quickly and Mr. Sagara gave the class the last ten minutes for free time.

"Before I forget, I have an announcement from Headmaster Hiko. 'Don't forget to come to the kendo tryouts. Last years members have to come; you do NOT have a choice. Girls are welcome too, and Miss Kamiya and Miss Makamichi have to tryout again as themselves if they want to join again.'"

Kaoru and Misao exchanged glances. Then Kaoru shrugged and Misao sighed. The bell rang again and the group made their way to the gym where the tryouts were being held.

They entered and saw it was empty save for a small figure that was holding a shinai and giving it a few testing spins and thrusts.

"Who's that?" Kaoru asked the group in general.

"I don't know." And "dunno" were the group's responses.

"Lets' go find out!!" Misao exclaimed.

The group walked up to the person and they noticed that it was a girl.

She was about an inch or two taller than Misao and had dirty blonde hair tied up in a pony tail (A/N: Think Kaoru's hair style), when she turned to look at them they noticed she had green eyes.

"Hello." The girl said softly. She had a look of fear and doubt in her face.

"Hey there!! I'm Misao Makamichi!!! It's so great that another girl is trying out!! What's your name, I don't think I have seen you here before." Misao said in a rapid succession.

"Give her a chance to speak, Misao. I'm Kaoru Kamiya." Kaoru said with a smile.

All the fear and doubt washed away from her face. "I'm Kairi Sullivan. I moved here from Ireland, a few weeks ago."

"Wow! A foreigner! You speak Japanese pretty well though, there's barely an accent." Kaoru commented.

"Thanks. My mother is Japanese though, and she thought it would be best if I learned to speak it too."

"My mother is like that too. She made me learn to speak Chinese. I'm Soujiro Seta, by the way." Soujiro commented. The rest of the group introduced themselves also.

Kairi just nodded and looked away. Misao and Kaoru exchanged glances again. Kairi started practicing her thrusts again.

"Your thrust would be better if you loosened your grip a bit and moved your hands closer." Soujiro pointed out and moved a bit closer to tell her where to place her hands. Their shoulders brushed together and Kairi squeaked and dropped her shinai.

Soujiro backed off. "I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"

Kairi shook her head and turned beet red.

"I guess she doesn't like boys touching her. That's probably why she wants to be better at kendo." Kenshin commented. They all turned, startled because they forgot he was there leaning against the wall. "You probably won't do well here then, because Hiko has this habit of hitting you on your head if you do something wrong."

Kairi looked more frightened.

"Kenshin!! Leave the girl alone!!" Kaoru scolded. In a gentler tone she turned to Kairi. "Don't mind him he doesn't mean it. Hiko probably won't hit you."

The man in question walked thru the double doors of the gym. "What are you all waiting for?! Get your shinai!!!"

"Speak of the devil…" Kenshin muttered under his breath as he went to get the shinai.

Hiko made them get in two lines: last year's members and new people. Last year's members included: Aoshi, Sano, and Soujiro. New members consisted of Kaoru, Kenshin, Misao, and Kairi.

"All right!! Pair off with a new member vs. old members. New members must connect two hits. Old members, if you get bested by these people then you shouldn't be here."

"You didn't really give us a choice." Sano muttered.

"What did you say?" Hiko asked. "Of course I gave you choice."

"The announcement said that we don't have a choice."

"Ah, yes. But did you really have to listen to that?"

"Yea, or else you would have made our lives a misery." Sano said.

"Do you really think I would do that?"

"Yes." Everyone except Kairi replied.

Hiko grinned. "I'm glad you all know me so well. Himura, you don't have to try out. I know your skills."

Kenshin nodded and came to stand by Hiko. They paired off with Aoshi vs. Kaoru, Sano vs. Kairi, and Soujiro vs. Misao.

To be continued…

J/K!!!!!!! Would I do that to you guys?

Kaoru attacked Aoshi head on. Aoshi easily blocked her attacks. Kaoru moved faster and got a hit on his thigh. Aoshi raised his eyebrows and moved even faster, still blocking Kaoru's attacks. Suddenly Kaoru stopped moving and Aoshi stopped a second after. Then, quick as a flash, Kaoru pointed her shinai at Aoshi throat. With a grin of triumph she looked up and then she noticed that Aoshi's shinai was at her heart.

"Good job, Kamiya. You're in. Not bad, Aoshi. Had you been a second slower she would have won." Hiko commented. Aoshi grunted and went to stand next to Kaoru.

Sano and Kairi looked at each other warily as if they were measuring each other up.

"You do know that if I hurt you it's nothing personal and this is just training, right?" Sano asked. Kairi nodded.

"Good." Sanosake said and lunged. Kairi blocked a hair width away. They both blocked and attacked each other, till after a while Kairi got 2 hits in. One on his chest and the other on his back.

"You're in, Kairi Sullivan, was it? You're getting slower, Sano." Hiko said.

Kairi and Sano went to stand next to Kaoru and Aoshi.

"You're not bad, girl." Sano complimented.

"Thank you. Even though I know you were holding back." She replied.

Sano grinned. "Caught me. But that was just to get you in. Next time I won't hold that much back."

Kairi gave a small smile and concentrated on Soujiro and Misao's fight.

Soujiro and Misao fought head to head. Misao blocking just in time. Soujiro began to speed up and Misao was still blocking. At one block Misao ducked and hit him on his legs. Misao jumped up and hit Soujiro on his head.

"Okay, Misao, you're in!! You're staying too Soujiro." Hiko shouted.

"Alright," Hiko said, "You guys are not half bad. I think that this year's team is going to be great. Now you will meet here after school every other day and every Sunday when there is a match that week. You all are dismissed."

To be continued…

A/N: That chapter was longer than my other ones!!! Sorry if the fight scenes were boring. I'll try to update again sometime in the beginning or middle of July. Please Review!! I was wondering if you guys wouldn't mind reading my story or stories on fictionpress.com. The link is on bio.

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A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing!!! Think about my stories on ficitionpress, please.