Konnichiwa minna-san!!!  OK, I know I know I know, I haven't updated in like, years, and I feel awful!  Really, I do!  But here is the next chapter, with the promised KK fluff.  This one may be a little confusing, but its supposed to be like that. ^___^

Disclaimer: OK, if you guys need to hear this, then you're obviously not very bright, but for all you not-so-bright readers, if I owned Rurouni Kenshin, I swear that no one would watch it.

Claimer: I'm selling Akeno off to anybody who wants him!! Only $10!!!! Free S/H!!!

~*~*~*~*~Kenshin's Room~*~*~*~*~

I think Kaoru-dono will like my ring.  I hope she does…  But what if she rejects it?  Sessha should not be asking this of her…Sessha is not worthy of Kaoru-dono.  Sessha has killed far too many men to even be allowed in the home of someone as innocent and pure and beautiful and kind as her.  He sighed.  She deserves someone much better, someone whose hands aren't stained with the blood of so many men.  Sessha will taint her.  He stared at his hands sadly.  Sessha will give Kaoru-dono the ring, and hope she likes it, and that will be it.  Sessha must not tell her what he was going to tell her.  That will only make it worse.

With a new determination, Kenshin retreated to the kitchen to help Okon and Omasu.  It was almost time to meet Kaoru at the sakura tree up front.  He was beginning to dread it.  Hai, a change of plans.  In order to preserve Kaoru-dono's innocence, sessha must not tell her anything.  Satisfied with his change of plans, Kenshin grew calmer.  Besides, how could Kaoru-dono love someone like sessha?  Sessha is unworthy and blood-stained.  She couldn't possible love sessha.  It is not humanly possible to love sessha.  But Tomoe loved sessha.  Sessha doesn't understand why, though.  But Tomoe hated sessha first.  And Tomoe was not as innocent as Kaoru-dono.

~*~*~*~*~In the Training Hall~*~*~*~*~

Kaoru swept and swept and swept.  She stopped to wipe a bead of sweat from her brow.  Phew!  This is tiring!  But I'm glad to help Oko-sann and Omasu-san, after all they have let us stay here.  I just wish I knew how to cook.  Then I could cook something nice for Kenshin…  She smiled as her thought drifted to the red-headed rurouni.  I have finally realized, I love him!  But he would never love me.  I'm just a sweaty girl.  I can't cook, I don't act like a lady, I don't even look like one!  She sighed sadly.  All I can do is swordsmanship, and even then he is better than me.  He cooks better than me, he even does laundry better than me!  I feel so useless.  He should marry someone who can actually act like a woman.  He should marry a woman who will be a good housewife.  I couldn't be a housewife even  if I tried.

She began furiously sweeping the floor again, letting out all of her frustration.  It was hard being a young woman, living alone and unmarried at her age.  And then she let two men and a boy live with her!  It was unheard of.  But I couldn't help it, I liked him at first, and by the time I was supposed to throw him out, I had fallen in love… Love.  I had always wondered what it was like to fall in love.  She sighed.  But of everything I have heard about love, half the feeling is to be in love, and the other is be loved.  I now know the joy of falling in love, but I'll never know what it's like to be loved.  Kenshin wouldn't fall in love with someone like me.  Her eyes flickered down to the newly swept floor and salty tears began to prick at her eyes.  Why is love so cruel to me?  I loved my mother, but she was taken from me.  I loved my father, but he was taken from me too.  I love Kenshin, but he would never love me.

~*~*~*~*~Kenshin's Room~*~*~*~*~

He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.  His steady breathing feigned sleep, but in truth, he was only resting.  Unintentionally, he slipped into slumber.

~*~*~*~It was time for his talk with Kaoru.  He slipped out to the sakura tree, where she was waiting for him.  Nervously, he opened his mouth to speak, and sweat began to form at the back of his neck.  "Konnichiwa, Kaoru-dono.  How were your chores?"  He winced at how stupid he sounded.

"Not too hard.  What bout you, Kenshin?  You look like you haven't slept recently."

"Oro?  I just had a nap."  He smiled.

She smiled back and nodded, "Hai.  There was something you wanted to ask me?"

"N-no, I just wanted to give you something."  He sighed, her crestfallen face was bothering him.  Maybe I should tell her after all.  No!  That would be wrong.  But if sessha knows that Kaoru-dono does not love sessha, then it won't hurt, ne?  He pulled out the ring.  It was beautiful and gleamed softly in the dusk air.  "Sessha wanted to give Kaoru-dono this ring.  He has something to tell you, de gozaru yo."

Kaoru's eyes lit up and she smiled hopefully.  "Oh, Kenshin, it's beautiful!"

"Arigatou.  Demo, not as beautiful as you are."

She blushed, but did not turn away, "Arigatou," she whispered.

"Kaoru-dono…Aishiteru."

She gasped and blushed, "You do?"

"Hai," he nodded solemnly.

She looked almost pitying, then.  He gazed at her worriedly.  "Ano, Kenshin, gomen nasi.  I really am."

"Nani?"

Tears began to form at her eyes and spilled over down her cheeks.  "My heart belongs to…to Saitou Hajime."

He froze.  His world came crashing down at those words.  It couldn't be true.  It just couldn't.

"Kenshin," she murmured gently, placing her hand on his, "I loved you, once.  I loved you with every fiber of my being.  I loved you so much," she swallowed painfully, "that it hurt.  You never noticed me.  You hid from me; I could see it.  You tried to hide all your pain and your suffering, demo I could see it in your eyes.  I dreamed of seeing you smile, for me.  A real smile, demo you never did.  I began to give up hope.  Then, I met Saitou, and he was kind to me.  He smiled for me, and cared for me.  I know he's married, demo I love him all the same."  She looked down, "Gomen, Kenshin, demo I couldn't wait any longer for you."  She turned away and left him alone, staring at his hand where she had touched him.  Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he didn't try to stop them.  He was paralyzed.  This was his own fault, he knew it, but it hurt all the same.  The tears just kept coming and coming.  He put his face in his hands and wept.  His body shook with each sob, but no sound came out.  He couldn't say anything, he didn't want to.  He embraced the silence and in his grief, spoke no more.  What is my reason to live, now?  Kaoru-dono was my only reason, and now she's gone.  She's gone.  The words echoed through his head, each one a stab to the heart.  It was a pain beyond pain, worse than when he had killed Tomoe, with his own hands.  Worse than when he had returned to the Aoiya from the fight with Shishio, on the brink of death.  No, this was the worst pain he had ever felt.  And it didn't stop.  After Shishio, he fainted, and felt the pain no more.  He eventually numbed from the pain of Tomoe's death, too.  But he doubted he'd ever recover from this.  Without thinking, without caring, he pulled his sakabatou from its sheath and flipped it over.  He closed his eyes, allowing himself one last glimpse of his lost beloved, and stabbed into his abdomen.  In a matter of seconds, he felt the pain no more.  He felt nothing.  He savored the painlessness death brought in his last moments.  Darkness overcame, and he saw no more, save for the face of a certain assistant master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu…~*~*~*~

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OK, I'm sure half of you are a bit confused and half of you hate me.  But I swear it will all make sense, and if it doesn't then I'll explain.  I love it when you guys try to guess what happens *hint hint* so feel free to guess.

Recommendations: All of dolphingirl0113's stories, though mostly: Out of the Darkness :::~::: by dolphingirl0113 Inuyasha: PG-13

Confessions of a Broken Heart :::~::: by dolphingirl0113 Inuyasha: PG-13

The Realistic Happily Ever After :::~::: by dolphingirl0113 Inuyasha: PG-13

Soldiers In a Timeless Battle :::~::: by dolphingirl0113 Inuyasha: PG-13

These are amazing if you like Inuyasha ^___^  K, personal reviews:

Inushemeeko ~ I know, s/m in arguments is so cute, ne?  Glad you like it ^___^

Kitty-jinxx ~ I know! I love them! Thanks for r/r-ing!!

Lady Himura ~ *blushes* I made your day, wow you just made mine ^____^ I'll try!!!  Btw, Arabic food is good ^___^

DBZ Goddess ~ I dunno, I'm not so sure I'd like my story if I wasn't the one writing it ^___^ but I'm soo delighted that you like it!!

RaspK FOG ~ Yatta! You r/r-ed!!  OK, I give you my Best Review Award!! *gives trophy*  KK I would love to change the scenes and stuff, and frankly I agree with you, but I have a small problem: once I write something, I can never bring myself to change it.  It's a terrible habit, I know, but I'll try, really.  I'm not being sarcastic or anything here.  As for reloading some chapters, once I get a bit of time I will definitely run through and do it!! I have had to rush to get this chap. up…Keep reading ^___^ and of course reviewing!!

WhiteRabbit5 ~ I agree, Akeno does suck.  *sigh* guess that means you won't buy him from me, ne? hehe

Senko Tenrou ~ Glad you love it ^____^  I'm so glad you read it!! Ok, I'll go through and try to change the formatting and read through to fix sentence structure probems.  I probably have millions, ne? __  And you're not being a bummer, I'm so glad you corrected me ^___^ I'll change that too, and arigatou!!  Arigatou, too, for the italics thing ^___^ just hope it works lol. X__x