Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine.. sigh
Special Thanks to Shikai-sama (aka Blazin Purple Fires, Irihi), Star-Princess-Lily, and Randomxthoughts for adding me to your Favorite Authors' List! Thanks !!! ^_^
Author's Notes: Hello! ^_^ I have another fic up on FF.Net called "When Something Changes." It's a Modern Day A/U Kenshin/Kaoru/Tomoe story based on a film called "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai." Kaoru and Kenshin are the best of friends (ever since elementary school), in college, Kaoru begins to realize that her feelings for Kenshin go much deeper than friendship. However, she realizes this too late because at that time Tomoe comes into the picture.
So if you have time, check that fic out also. ^_^ Thanks very much. I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter.
Oh yes, there's a nice music website you guys should visit: Please visit it and sign the guest book if you have the time. He would really appreciate it and if you're interested, there's also a site where you can buy his CD.
Okay, enough ranting. On with the story. . .
~ A Memory Forgotten ~
Chapter 28
"Soujiro, I know . . I know . . that this is . . difficult. I . . I just want you to know that I'm really glad that we got to spend the time together that we did. I know that this is a shock, but . . I'm glad to have you as a brother. I wouldn't want anyone else."
Kaoru looked at Soujiro's visage after she finished speaking. His eyes were narrowed in emotion displaying shock, anger, sadness, and . . . and maybe even happiness. She looked towards the pond. Fireflies had become to come out and they had begun to cast a haunting greenish-yellow glow to the entire area. She sucked in her breath. "It's beautiful," she whispered in awe, as she said it her heart clenched in pain. For some reason, despite the beauty of it all, there was an air of sadness to it. A tear fell from her eyes unknowingly. As she continued to stare off into the pond, she felt Soujiro's palm wipe the wetness from her face. She turned towards him.
Soujiro was there gazing at her. "Kao-chan, don't cry."
With that said, Kaoru embraced him. She felt him smile and her heart lightened. Together they walked back home.
Unbeknownst to the two, a pair of lavender eyes watched from behind the tree.
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Kenshin sat behind the tree looking longingly at the crystal clear waters of the lake before him. He missed her.
Kaoru.
It had been over three months since he had seen her last. He sighed sadly as the sky darkened. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he failed to hear the conversation going on near him.
" . . I wouldn't want anyone else." A woman's voice broke through Kenshin's meandering thoughts as he quickly shifted in his position to look past the tree. Two figures stood on the marshy grass. A man and a woman. Kenshin squinted his lavender eyes to get a closer look at the faces of the figures at night.
Kenshin saw that the woman was wearing a dark blue qipao with silver linings of flowers imprinted on the silky fabric. The man felt something stir at the pit of his stomach at the sight. Then he noticed that the both of the figures were quiet and sullen.
Maybe it's a lover's quarrel, Kenshin thought to himself as he began to sit back in his original position. I should get going, de gozaru yo. Night is starting to fall and maybe Aoshi and Misao have found some information on Higurashi Miroku. As the man began to get up, he heard another man speak.
"Kao-chan, don't cry."
He froze in the spot. Kao-chan? A surge of hope flew through Kenshin's heart as he turned like lightning to look at the couple again. The purple-eyed man watched as the other man walked closer towards the woman and embraced her in a tight hug. Kenshin felt his heart clench at the sight, but disregarded the feeling. As he continued to watch, the light from the fireflies had begun to light up the strangers' faces as they were holding one another.
Long black hair tied up in a bun.
Delicate eyebrows.
Petal-like lips that began to curve up into a gentle smile.
Kenshin watched rooted on the spot as the woman started to separate herself from the man. Her eyelids gently fluttered open.
Blue eyes.
Kaoru.
She was here. It was her. Kenshin broke into a grand smile as he took a step from out of his place. But then something froze him.
He remembered that she was with another.
Soujiro.
Kenshin shook his head as his eyes turned amber for a second before turning back to their purplish hue. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the two of them leave. His eyes lingered on her figure for a long time and his sight traveled from her arms to her hands. They were wrapped in Soujiro's own hands.
He was unable to move. He was unable to call out to her.
He watched as the two of them walked away. All his hopes and dreams for the future seemed to disappear along with their figures.
Kenshin stood there until his legs gave way and crumpled to the floor.
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The next day
Kaoru got up early that morning so she could ask her father if she could go to the market with Soujiro accompanying her. Soujiro didn't feel comfortable enough to talk to him after that night because he still felt wary of the fact that the man was his father.
"Ano .. o – otousan," Kaoru said as she stumbled over her words. "Ano . . eto . . we need some more vegetables and rice. I was wondering if I could go to the market to buy some. I haven't been out much lately and it's so stuffy in here. Of course Sou-chan will be there with me so you don't have anything to worry about," she said quickly.
Higurashi Miroku looked up at her and tightened his lips as he furrowed his brows. Would it be wise to send Kaoru out to the market when Fujimoto's men were still out looking for her? What if something were to happen to her?
Kaoru stood intently awaiting her father's response. In truth, she and Soujiro felt that they needed time away so that Soujiro could gather his feelings and thoughts. Also it had been a long time since Kaoru had been able to go out and she knew that she needed the fresh air.
Miroku looked back up at his daughter and noticed how desperate her eyes looked. She really needed time outside as did Soujiro. He sucked in his breath as he nodded reluctantly. "Alright . . but make sure you come back within two hours."
The girl's smile quickly grew as she nodded her head. "Hai! Thank you! We'll be back soon so don't worry!" she said with a wave as she left the room.
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Yahiko and Sanosuke had wandered off into the market in search of Kenshin. Both Misao and Aoshi had reported back last night that they hadn't found any information about Kaoru and Kenshin hadn't returned that night. Both the boy and the young man were worried so they set out to look for him in the morning hoping that maybe the Rurouni had found some information about Kaoru's whereabouts and maybe that was why he hadn't returned.
"Wares for sale! Wares for sale! Straight from Japan! Wares for sale!" Hordes of people gathered around each stall and the two found that they had to push themselves through the mass. Yahiko and Sanosuke panted heavily as they made their way through. Sweat laced around each of their foreheads as they continued forward.
Yahiko wiped some sweat off of his brow as they continued through the streets. It was beginning to feel hopeless. Their search for Kaoru. Not one bit of information could be found about her and the biggest lead they had on Kaoru was gone when Aoshi and Misao informed them that all the monks in the Qinghua Temple were killed.
"Mou! Sou-chan . ."
Yahiko stopped dead in his tracks.
That voice.
Haha . .
That laughter.
Yahiko's heart skipped a beat. Sanosuke turned around noticing that the boy wasn't by his side anymore. "Hey, hurry it up. Why'd you . ."
He saw a flash of black spiky hair and a bokken off in the distance. "Yahiko . . that . . that . ." Sano broke off into a run trying to catch up with the young boy.
"Move it. . Move .. Aa sorry . . Damn it . . you people are all so slow!" Sanosuke grumbled as he pushed his way to the stall where he had seen the young boy. As he began to walk closer he noticed that Yahiko had stopped in his tracks. Sano's eyes followed Yahiko's line of sight and it fell on a girl who was examining a daikon radish.
She was wearing a silky black qipao with intricate flower designs on it and had her hair up in a bun. Sanosuke smirked. "I didn't know you had a taste for older women, Yahiko-chan," he teased as he ruffled the young boy's spiky hair.
Sano turned back around and was about to continue to walk when he saw that the boy wasn't following him. The man turned around annoyed by the fact that Yahiko was still gawking at the girl. Damn it they didn't have time for this, they had to look for Kenshin.
"Oi!" Sano exclaimed.
Yahiko didn't flinch.
"Oi!" he yelled louder this time.
Instead of turning around and walking towards the man, the boy broke into a run. Sanosuke grimaced as the boy ventured farther away from him. "That brat!"
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Yahiko continued to run as he saw the woman leaving the market with another close by her side. It had to have been Kaoru, the boy thought with an upsurge of hope.
"Kaoru!" Yahiko called out.
Sanosuke, who was close behind him, stopped in his tracks as his eyes widened in shock. He quickly turned his attention to the woman that they had been looking at before. Could that have been our Jou-chan?, Sano thought. The man took a few quickened steps closer towards the woman's figure and felt his heart beating faster by the second.
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"Kaoru!"
At the calling of her name, the girl stopped in her tracks as her blood ran cold. The other boy who accompanied her stopped also and unconsciously put his hand over the hilt of his katana.
"Kaoru!" Yahiko continued to call. His heart had begun to beat three times faster than it had been before. His eyes were lit up in a joyful glee as he closed the distance between him. He didn't care if she was going to yell at him or if he was being any less manly for running and calling out to her like that. They had found her. They had finally found her.
And there was no way . .no way that they would let her go again.
Kaoru's sapphire blue eyes widened in anticipation and shock. How did this young boy know her name? Why was he running towards her? How did he find her? She put a hand over Soujiro's shoulder and squeezed. She was scared.
Soujiro smiled a bit protectively. "Don't worry, Kao-chan."
Yahiko finally was in a few feets' distance. The young boy felt like he was going to explode with joy and happiness. He opened his arms so as he could hug his sensei. His sister. His family was going to be reunited once more.
Instead . .
The end of a cold, hard wooden sheath stopped Yahiko in his tracks.
His eyes widened in shock as he looked to whom the sheath belonged. "You . . you're the guy that I saw that night."
Soujiro himself felt surprised at the boy's words. Could this be . . Kao-chan's companion from that night?
"Jou-chan!"
Kaoru looked up. A tall, spiky-haired guy run over to them with a big smile on his face and hands fisted into his pockets. Soujiro's eyes widened.
"Sagara-san. . ." he said in shock recognition. What . . what is he doing here?
Sanosuke stopped running as he looked over at Kaoru's companion. He felt his brotherly instincts shoot forth upon seeing Kaoru with him. He clenched his fists.
"Tenken . ." he murmured dangerously.
Yahiko's eyes widened as he pointed in disbelief. "You mean . . that . .that boy is Tenken?"
Sano glared at Soujiro and cracked his knuckles in an attempt to intimidate him. Kaoru looked back and forth at the two newcomers with wide-open eyes. "How . .How did you know my name?" she said under her breath, her lips trembling. Soujiro was forgotten and focus was again given to the girl.
Yahiko looked up at his sensei with shocked and hurt brown eyes. "Kaoru . . You . . You really don't remember us?"
Kaoru looked over at Soujiro helplessly with worry and confusion tinged in the blue of her eyes. She then looked back at the two with searching eyes trying to find something about them that she could remember. The young boy, she saw, was wearing a stained dark yellow gi and hakama with a bokken tied to his back. His black spiky hair was in a mess and his eyes. His eyes, she saw, were reflecting towards her both happiness, hurt, and relief. But how come . .how come she couldn't remember them. She squeezed her eyes shut as she searched her mind.
But nothing would come.
She then took a steady glance at the man who called her "jouchan." He was a tall fellow with brown spiky hair and a red bandanna tied around his forehead. Bandages were tied all around his legs, waist, and hands. He wore a white shirt and white pants to match. His eyes too reflected the same emotion as the young boy. Kaoru looked back and forth between the two and she felt her head begin to feel dizzy.
It hurt.
It hurt that she could not remember.
She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and clutched her hands around her head. "Why . .", she cried as she shook her head, "Why can't I remember you . ." A tear fell from her eyes.
"Look, jouchan. I know you don't remember me right now, but I ain't gonna sit around and wait for your memory to come back. You live in Tokyo and your home . . your home is with Kenshin. Do you . .do you still remember Kenshin?"
Kaoru's eyes shook in trepidation. Kenshin? The name rung a bell in her head, but she couldn't place a finger on where she heard the name. Why did it seem so familiar to her?
She knew she should be able to recognize the two of them. The tall spiky-haired man and the young boy. But .. but why can't I remember them?, she screamed in her head.
Soujiro took a few steps and stood in front of the young woman protectively. She had lost her memory and he didn't like the way the man was berating her. He had no right to do that. "Sagara-san, I won't have you talking to Kao-chan in such a manner."
Sanosuke's eyes narrowed in anguish. "What the fuck do you mean?? I'm not gonna stand around here and have you be all lovey with our jou-chan. I won't have her be with someone the likes of you!!"
Soujiro's eyes widened at Sanosuke's accusations and he quickly went back with a smile masking the hidden emotions on his face. Kaoru's ki flared at the man's words and walked up and stood in front of the young man, her finger pointing at the spiky-haired man in anger.
"How dare you say that about Sou-chan! I won't have you saying those things about him!" she admonished.
Sano stood wide-eyed with Yahiko behind him. He clenched his fists until his knuckles became white. "I – I see that . .bastard has got you brainwashed," he seethed through his teeth as he glared at Soujiro. Kaoru stumbled back on her footsteps at the man's harsh words and clenched her jaw tightly. She took a step forward so that her eye was level to the man's chest. She looked up at him defiantly with her cheeks flushed in anger.
SLAPSanosuke stood there in shock with a hand over his cheek. Brown eyes wide open at the woman in front of him he just stood there mouth open with nothing to say.
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The instant Kaoru's hand had come into contact with the taller man's cheek, she had felt sorry. Afterwards, she just looked at her hand in a sort of morbid amazement. She couldn't believe she had just done that on impulse. She looked back up at the man, her blue eyes glazing over a bit with tears. Kaoru slowly retracted her hand from Sanosuke and enclosed her other hand upon it as if it were some sort of being that needed to be caged.
She looked down upon the ground. "I . . I'm sorry." A drop of wetness fell onto the dirt floor.
Sano still stood there with Yahiko alongside of him. The young boy was in terrible shock. He had never seen his sensei slap someone before. Sure she punched people and hit people with flying objects and that infamous bokken, but .. but slap someone? Is Soujiro really that important to her?
Unbenownst to the young boy, tears began to fill up his eyes.
The fact struck him.
Kaoru did not remember them.
She did not remember him.
Yahiko was so sure that Kaoru would recognize him once they saw each other. He was the one that she intended to pass the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu to, but . . but. . Kaoru didn't know who he was. The entire year at the dojo she had spent teaching him, were they . . just like that . . forgotten? Erased from memory?
The young boy clenched his fist in anger as he stepped in front of Sanosuke so that he'd be in front of Kaoru. Her head was still bowed down in regret, but the boy didn't care.
"Oi!" he called out.
Kaoru looked up in bewilderment at the sudden loud noise and at the kid that was now in front of her. The fire and determination that the young boy had in his eyes at that moment just seemed .. so familiar to her in a way that she could not describe.
"You know," Yahiko started as he pointed his finger at the woman, "we know that you lost your memories and all that junk, but you're gonna get them back!! You will! So don't go off and make a life for yourself so quickly cuz . .cuz you still have a life with us!"
Kaoru looked wide-eyed at the young boy's spirited confession. A few tears came down from her cheeks and her smile grew. She had to believe. Her memories will come back to her. Maybe she'll just need to work harder.
"Come on roosterhead, let's leave," the boy stated as he turned swiftly on his feet and grabbed Sanosuke's arm.
"But," Sano started.
"We've gotta give her time so she'll remember us again," he said sternly.
When he walked a few feet away from her, he turned back on impulse. "Hey!" he called out. Kaoru looked towards him still stunned by what he had told her earlier. "You still have got to teach me the rest of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu! I won't give up until you do! You got that, busu?!" The boy turned back around and ran off with Sanosuke trailing behind him.
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The young woman looked over at Soujiro with a strained face. The kid had called her "busu." That voice! It was so familiar to her. "Sou-chan . . let's go home." Soujiro nodded as he looked at her with worry. As they began their trek home, thoughts and images flew through Kaoru's mind. She was determined and hopeful. She would remember everything about her past.
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PANT, PANTYahiko leaned against the tree with his hands over his knees, trying to regain back his normal breathing pattern. It was incredibly hard for him to have seen her and not brought her back. That was why he began running away from her. The boy understood that bringing her back now would do no good. Kaoru needed time to gather her thoughts.
Yahiko sighed as he sat up against the tree. He noticed that he was beside a lake.
He smiled as it had reminded him of the small pond near the dojo back home in Tokyo. As he sat there, he heard something.
He looked over towards the sound with his bokken tightly gripped within his sweaty hands.
What he saw surprised him.
It was Kenshin.
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- To be continued
Author's Notes:
Please read and review! Thanks much! Sorry for the incredibly long delay in coming out with this chapter! I had a lot of trouble writing it. At first I thought that I would've been able to post it up the week after I posted up the last one (that's a laugh), but the situation with how Kenshin would feel after seeing Kaoru with another man and Sano and Yahiko's reaction was a bit hard to write and make it still in character. I didn't want Kenshin to come off as too depressed and "lifeless" when he saw Kaoru with Soujiro.
Also, the idea that Soujiro and Kaoru are siblings stems from the "Star Wars Trilogy." Lol .. for those of you who had mentioned that this reminded you of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. You were right. That's where I got the idea from. Anyway, for most of the story, I had already decided that Soujiro and Kaoru were brother and sister. There are actually many, many clues leading up to this: they were very vague so they could have been taken either way. =P Lol .. I'm glad that I had you all shocked/surprised about the revelation.
But anyway, as I said before, the 'past' behind all of this will be revealed in the later chapters.
Reader Responses:
Krys – Hehe .. =D I know I ended on an evil cliffhanger for the last story. Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading this one as well. =D Take care.
Ryoga – Thanks for the comments
Chibi Fyrefly – Sniff .. Kenshin was too sad to go after Kaoru in this chapter. Well, they'll see each other soon.
MissBehavin – Yup, they're siblings. ^_^. Anyway, I like your new story that you have out (the fairy tale with Hajime and Tokio). I haven't been able to be on ff.net much, but I'll be sure to read and review your chapters soon. =)
^_^ - Thanks for reviewing! Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Anabell – Thanks =D I'm glad you still like the story so far. Take care.
Poppy2 – Yeah, I liked the idea of Soujiro being Kaoru's brother. ^_^ Thanks for reviewing. Hope you have a great week.
O.Juice – Hi! Thanks so much for reviewing! =) =) =) Hehe .. you were right about the Soujiro/Kaoru thing seeming like the Luke Skywalker/Princess Leia thing. Lol. . that's where I got the idea from. Anyway, I hope you have a great week! I hope you update your fic soon! Sniff sniff. (I hope K/K make up soon!)
Ichi – Hehe .. Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as well.
CurlsofSerenity – Hehe .. yeah, what a twist. =x .. Hmm . about Soujiro liking Kaoru. =/ .. I guess that's left up to our own imaginations. *dirty dirty. Lol ^_^
Sailor-Earth13 – Thanks for the comments. I'm glad you enjoyed reading the chapter.
Aimi-chan – Hi! Sorry for the long wait in updating. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.
GoldAngel2 – Hi. Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the long wait before updating. =) Hope you have a great week.
Kago2350 – Thanks for the comments. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.
Chibilee – Hehe. . Yes, the wonders of the fanfiction universe. ^_^ Hehe. . anyway, it's so much fun reading your reviews! Thanks!
Narutofan – Thanks
Saotome – Hehe . .Thanks for the comments.
Smiley – Thanks for reviewing!
Blue Rose4 – I'm glad you like the idea of Soujiro being Kaoru's brother. When I had first started writing this fic, I didn't want to hurt Soujiro. Sniff sniff. It'd be too sad.
Kenshinfan – Thanks for the comments! I'm so glad that you enjoy reading this story. =) =)
Devotd-inu-fan – Sorry for the long wait before updating this chapter. I'm glad that you like it so far. =D I hope you have a great week.
Kaorudemonsamurai23 – Hehe .. wow what a long name =) Anyway, I'm glad you enjoy the story so far. I hope that this chapter cleared up the reason why Kenshin go out to see Kaoru.
Shikai-sama – Hello! Thanks for reviewing again! I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. Anyway, hehe.. when I said that I was going to write a Sou/Kao pairing .. it would be in another story. =D I don't think I'm gonna write an alternative ending for this one. lol .. incest. (ick ick ick!)
OniTokage – Hi! Thanks for your review! =D I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Hehe .. I totally understand what you mean about writing a page long review and having it all of a sudden be erased! Grr . .that's so annoying. Anyway, hope you have a great week and take care! (PS – Sorry for the long wait!)
Shermaine, Chibi Sasuke – Thanks for reviewing.
Boomerang-chan – Hello! Sorry for the long wait before updating this chapter. Hmm .. Soujiro and Kaoru as fraternal twins! =D Great idea. I'd love to read it! And the drawing .. if you've finished it, I would really love to see it! Could you email it to me? (idonnax0o7i@aol.com) Hehe. Thanks! Hope you have a great week!
Monique – Thanks for the uplifting comments. =D I'm really glad that you like the story so far. =)
Princess of Darkness and me – Hello. Haha. .it was Kenshin. You were right. =D
CrismHeart - =) Thanks for reviewing and the great comments. [author blushes]. I'm sorry about the long wait for this chapter. =/ (hehe .. writer's block) Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.
Beriath – Hi. Thanks for your comments. Hehe .. I know the idea of Soujiro being Kaoru's brother seems quite sudden, but there are some hidden references alluding to this idea. =) But mainly, you'll just have to wait until the later chapters to find out how this came about. =)
Doris – Thanks for the comments. =D Haha . . maybe we can share Soujiro. 0_o .. that sounds kinda perverted. Lol..
Noner_89 – Thanks for reviewing! Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as well.
Star-Princess-Lily – Hi! Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you enjoy this story so far.
Moderndaybattousai – Hehe. I'm glad you enjoy this story! Good luck with your own!!! It's gone off at a great start so far.