A/N: Thank you for all the reviews and all of the questions are going to be answered on the very end of this chapter. Thank you for reading, and please review so that I know I should continue this story.
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Pretend
Chapter Three: Make me
Kenji woke up that Sunday afternoon, and ran inside his parent's room, hoping that his mother really came back; and that it wasn't just any dream. As he entered the room, he sighed out of relief that it wasn't just a dream. Now it was time to wake them up for church. But something was wrong; his parents weren't sleeping in the same bed. His dad was on the floor, while his mom was on the bed. That got Kenji thinking that his parents were fighting, and so he woke up his dad.
"Daddy, come on wake up, wake up," Kenji said, shaking his dad back and forth with all his might. "We have to go to church."
"Kenji, its too early, go back to sleep" Kenshin said.
"How come you're not sleeping next to mommy? Are you guys fighting?" Kenji asked, hoping that he was wrong.
"Of course not, I just fell of the bed, and I got to lazy to climb back up again" Kenshin lied.
Kenji believed his father, and went up the bed to wake up Kaoru.
"Mommy, wake up we're going to church" Kenji said, trying to wake up Kaoru, but she's still not waking up.
"Baby, give mommy some time to sleep, I'm tired from all the playing we've done yesterday" Kaoru said, still half asleep.
"Ok mommy, but you promise that you'll eat breakfast with me?" Kenji asked sweetly.
Kaoru only nodded. She was actually awake by that time; she was still contemplating about her decision. But every time she hears or sees Kenji's face her heart melts, and she would decide that what she agreed on was the right thing.
'How can Kenshin just leave his son to maids; I bet he doesn't even know how much Kenji loves him.' Kaoru thought. 'I'll show him that he has a son that expects him to be home every night.'
'Why did I ever make a deal with that girl?' Kenshin asked himself. 'How dare her think I'm a rapist; I am a decent person. She's the one that looks like nothing, she acts like a tomboy.'
Kenji left the room, and both Kenshin and Kaoru heard his footsteps headed downstairs.
Kenshin decided to finally wake up, and he folded his blanket and the other stuff. Kaoru heard him, while her eyes are still closed, she was contemplating whether or not she should wake up and face Kenshin or to just sleep and walk down later.
She decided to wake up.
Kaoru fixed the bed, deciding it was better to face the family than later. She went to the bathroom and put on her robe, and her hair in a ponytail.
She headed downstairs, and she immediately smelled bacon, and eggs.
'Yummy' she thought.
"Mommy, guess who cooked the egg?" Kenji asked, quickly getting out of his chair and headed to Kaoru.
"Mmm, let me guess," Kaoru said. "You"
Kenji nodded, beaming with pride.
'If Kenji was really my son, I would seriously have a camera to take pictures. He is so cute!'
Kaoru looked over where Kenshin was sitting at, and she caught him looking at them; but he quickly turned his head away. Kaoru noticed a small blush in Kenshin's face, but ignored it.
Kaoru sat next to Kenji, a seat away from Kenshin.
"Mommy, you don't sit there!" Kenji exclaimed which surprised Kaoru.
'Is there some sort of sitting pattern in this family?'
"Mommy, you're supposed to sit next to daddy." Kenji pulled Kaoru from her seat, and led her to the chair next to Kenshin; he didn't seem to care at all.
The maid served the bacons first, then the eggs. Kaoru tried the bacons first, it was very good! But when it came to the eggs, Kaoru choked.
'It's too salty!' Kenji was looking expectantly at Kaoru, so Kaoru just pretended to eat and swallow the food; even though it was painful for her.
'How can Kenshin just look indifferent?' Kaoru wondered.
"Is it good mommy?"
Kaoru could only nod, because she knows that if she opens her mouth she would throw up. Kenji was beaming with pride again. Kaoru was satisfied.
After eating breakfast, Kaoru, Kenshin, and Kenji got dressed for church. At first, Kaoru was unsure on what to wear at church; she was deciding whether to wear her white dress, with ruffles in the end, or just normal clothes. But after thinking things through, she decided to wear the white dress.
Kenshin and Kenji were waiting in the living room for Kaoru, both neatly dressed in their Sunday clothes. When Kaoru stepped down the staircase, Kenshin was awestruck, but he kept it in; pretending not to show any emotion. Kaoru felt itchy, the tag on the back was very itchy, but she tried to ignore it.
"Seems like were all sets," Kenshin said breaking the silence. "The mass starts in 20 minutes."
Kenshin looked at Kaoru and she just nodded. Kenji slipped his hand in Kaoru's, and she held securely.
The car ride was very quiet, except for Kenji's excited voice; telling both Kenshin and Kaoru that now they really are a family.
The church started 5 minutes after they arrived. It's halfway done and Kaoru just can't help closing her eyes, she fell asleep.
It was in the peace be with you part, when Kenji woke her up, she heard the father say "peace be with you"; so she kissed Kenji on the cheeks, and so did Kenshin. Kenji noticed that his parents didn't kiss; so he informed his father, and Kenshin leaned over to Kaoru, and placed a kiss on her lips. Kaoru was taken aback; she didn't even know that his lips were touching hers, until after the kiss. Kaoru looked over at Kenshin, but his eyes were fixed at the father.
She smiled.
After church Kenshin received a phone call from work, and had to go.
"I'll drop you guys home first" Kenshin said.
"No, Kenji and I will just go grocery shopping," Kaoru said, "we'll just take the bus, so you don't have to worry about us."
Kenshin was thinking, but he decided that they could, just as long as the driver picks them up. Kaoru agreed.
So now they're at the grocery store, shopping for food. Kenji was pointing at everything they saw, but Kaoru was happy to get everything he wanted; except of course things not needed. She's planning to spoil Kenji.
As they were looking for the cereal Kenji wanted, they bumped into Kaoru's parents.
"Kaoru, how are you my dear?" Her mother asked.
"I'm fine mother," Kaoru was unsure of what to say. She hoped that they wouldn't notice Kenji.
"We've been asking Misao for you, but she said that you were working" her father added.
"Yeah well, I'm working," Kaoru didn't want to explain to her parents, in front of Kenji.
"Are you a babysitter?" her mother asked. "If you've just taken your board exam, you could've been a teacher."
"No, she's not a babysitter, she's my mommy" Kenji exclaimed.
"Ah mom, this is Kenji, my son" Kaoru explained.
Her mother looked at Kaoru then to her father then back to Kaoru again, and she almost fainted.
"Grandma!"
That's when Kaoru's mother really fainted.
"Kaoru, are you sure about this deal you made?" her father asked. After returning home to her parent's house, with a fainted Mrs. Kamiya; Kaoru explained everything.
"Father I'm sure," Kaoru reassured her parents. "I mean this man is paying money, he's a lawyer after all."
"Mommy, can I have some more sushi?" Kenji asked innocently.
Kaoru nodded, she stood up and leaned over Kenji and wiped the rice off his cheeks.
"Do you like the sushis?" Kaoru's father asked.
"Yes grandpa, grandma makes the best sushi ever!"
The older couple's hearts warmed after hearing this. They were suddenly that they had a grandson as sweet and thoughtful as Kenji, even for just a while.
"Do you want to have some peach juice with it too, honey?" Kaoru's mother asked.
"Yes, please" Kenji responded.
"My grandson is so cute!" Kaoru's mother squealed.
"And guess whose genes that came from?" Kaoru's father said, egotistically.
Everyone laughed after hearing this, except for Kenji; who didn't seem to understand, why his mother and grandparents were laughing.
"I think grandpa is handsome, and also my other grandpa."
"Of course baby, if they weren't handsome, then you wouldn't be handsome" Kaoru said, glad that Kenji was enjoying his time.
"Mom, Dad, I'm home!"
"I guess Yahiko's back home" said Kaoru's mother.
"Busu! You're back home," Yahiko exclaimed, after entering the kitchen. "And you have another brat with you."
"Hey, don't call my son a brat," Kaoru defended. "You're the brat."
"YOUR SON!" Yahiko shouted.
Kaoru just nodded, and signaled Yahiko to shut-up. The family, was quietly eating when Misao and Aoshi entered the kitchen with a surprise look on their face. Well, only Misao.
"Weasel girl, where's Hikaru?" asked Yahiko, noticing that their daughter wasn't with them.
"Hikaru's at her friend's house," Misao informed. Both Aoshi and Misao still stood by the kitchen door, unsure of what to do. "Kaoru, I see you've brought your son."
"Kenji, go greet your Auntie Misao, and Uncle Aoshi" Kaoru told Kenji. Kenji stood up from his chair, and walked over to Misao and Aoshi. He pouted his lips, and Misao got the message and bent down. Aoshi, however, was unsure of what to do; so he just followed what his wife did.
Aoshi gestured Kaoru towards him, and she knew it was something important. They stepped out of the kitchen, and into the family room; leaving the rest of the family.
"Since when did you have a son?" Aoshi asked, his protectiveness kicking in.
"Aoshi, it's a long story," Kaoru reasoned, she didn't want to tell him because he would surely get mad.
"I have every time in the world" Aoshi said, he was ready to hear Kaoru's lame excuse; instead he heard none. Kaoru told his everything, and he just listened.
"That kid, Kenji, he looks familiar," Aoshi was thinking of where he's seen that face. "Of course, Kenshin Himura; the acclaimed lawyer."
"You know him?"
"Kaoru I've worked with the man before, I've seen that kid sitting surrounded by guards too."
"Aoshi, it's only going to be for a month," Kaoru reasoned, he knew Aoshi would find ways to stop her.
"Kaoru, if you needed money, you could've just come to me…"
"That's what mom and said too, but I want to earn my own money for once. It's all for a good cause anyway, and I didn't want to bother you."
Aoshi was thinking it through. "Does Misao know about this?" He's given up.
Kaoru didn't want to tell Aoshi or anyone, because it was only suppose to be a secret between Misao and her. Kaoru nodded, she knew that Aoshi already knew, and that he was just building a trap for her.
"I'm just going to warn you Kaoru, I know this man." Kaoru just nodded. Her brother is making her feel small again. Like when they were younger, Kaoru was more mature than most girls and Aoshi caught her kissing a guy in the hallways; he sure did make her feel hopeless after giving her a lesson.
The family ate dinner, and Kaoru and Kenji left at 9:00. They didn't get picked up by Kenshin's driver, instead they rode a taxi. When they arrived home, they were greeted be an angry Kenshin.
"Do you know what time it is?" he asked furious that they didn't inform him of where they were, and what time they were going to get home.
"I do, and what's you're problem?" Kaoru asked back.
"When I arrived, the maids were worried looking for you, and when I asked the driver where you were, he said that he didn't see you in the grocery store…"
"Daddy, look what I have!" Kenji butted in. He proudly held up his shinai, which he got from Yahiko after eating dinner, when he saw him practicing.
"Where did you get that?"
"Me and mommy went to grandpa's house, and I saw Uncle Yahiko, Uncle Aoshi, and Auntie Misao!"
Kenshin looked at Kaoru, searching for answers.
"For your information, we were in the grocery but we met up with my parents, and they insisted we come with them, so we did. We caught up with what's going on, and I introduced Kenji to my family" Kaoru explained. She was mad that Kenshin didn't trust Kaoru at all, but then again who could blame him; he's hardly known Kaoru for a day.
"Daddy, don't be mad at mommy, I wanted to go to grandmas, but mommy said we couldn't. But I really wanted to go." Kenji explained after noticing that his parents were fighting.
"It's ok now. Just be sure that next time you'll call when you're going to be late."
Kaoru nodded, she didn't feel good now, and she really wants to get some sleep. So she went upstairs with Kenji, leaving Kenshin with his work, changed Kenji's clothes and hers too; tucked Kenji in bed, and fell asleep next to him.
Kenshin was relieved that they came home safe and sound, but he knew deep inside he was scared of losing Kenji, and probably Kaoru too. He knows that Kaoru has done a lot for Kenji even though they've only been together for two days. Kenji is really fond of Kaoru, and he didn't even want to think about how Kenji might react to the truth. For now, he'll make Kenji happy, shield him from pain; but when the time comes all he can do is explain the truth to Kenji slowly.
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A/N: This was long! Can someone give me the names of Kaoru's parents? I really need it, cause it gets tiring to keep on writing, "Kaoru's mother" "Kaoru's father". In the next chapter be warned. Soujiro is going to be gay. I'm sorry for the fans out there, but it's for the sake of this story. I promise that it will really be good. Don't worry, this will my only story that someone will be gay. Thank you again for the reviews, and please give me feedbacks, in other words… reviews.
