Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Sony Productions.
Author's Notes: Hi! Sorry for the long wait before updating. I was busy over Spring Break and also had a test the last week so I didn't have time to write. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy reading the chapter.
~ A Memory Forgotten ~
Chapter 30
Kaoru sat on the moist grass running her fingers through her dark tresses as the wind picked up. So many thoughts and feelings were running through her mind. Her head was filled with that boy's words. The way that he had called her 'busu' of all things seemed just so . . just so right. A heart clenched a little in pain at the thought that she couldn't remember who they were or . . .
Who she was.
"Hello."
Her eyes widened in shock as she jerked her head up to look at the man who had just addressed her.
And at that moment, soft lavender eyes met widened blue ones.
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"Hello."
Kaoru looked wide-eyed at the man who had just addressed her. He had purple eyes, long, red flowing hair, and a bright smile highlighting his face. She felt mesmerized by his gaze and forgot that she had been staring at the man for quite awhile. Her face quickly heated up for she felt truly embarrassed for looking at a stranger for so long. She turned her eyes away from him and looked to the side, focusing her attention on some bushes from afar. A small embarrassed smile began to appear on her face.
"Ano .. hello."
The man smiled at hearing her response. "Would you mind if I joined you?"
The girl felt her palms begin to sweat as she looked back up at the man. He had to have been the most handsome man she had ever seen, or could remember that is. She smiled and nodded her head shyly.
"Iie . . I don't mind."
In a uniform motion, the man took the katana from the back of his belt as he sat down next to her beside the large tree. The breeze picked up and the girl couldn't help but gaze at the sword in the man's hand. The only other person she knew of that carried a sword by his side was Soujiro.
"Ano," the girl started as she looked at the object, "ano . . why do you carry a sword with you?"
The man smiled as he passed the sword to her.
The heavy feel of leather and wood from the sword was familiar to her as she took it from him. She carefully unsheathed the katana and her eyes widened. "The blade is reversed!" she gasped.
The man chuckled. "Hai de gozaru yo."
She looked over at him, her curiosity rising like a tidal wave. "But why would you carry a reversed-blade sword?"
"It's a sakabatou, de gozaru ka. A long time ago I promised someone that I would not kill anymore, that I would use the sword to protect people instead."
"Oh," she said in awe as she turned the katana over to admire it some more. The rays from the sun cast bright gleams that danced on the blade. Kaoru thought over what the man had said and couldn't help but feel that she had heard those words before. She wondered why she felt so comfortable with the stranger that sat next to her.
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The man watched her with a small, forlorn smile playing on his lips. What great comfort and joy he felt as of now sitting next to the one that he had been looking for for so long. But at the same time the realization hurt, she did not remember him. There was no sign of familiarity when she had looked up at him. Not even a slight sign of recognition.
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Kaoru passed the sword carefully back to the man next to her.
"I wish more people had your kind of ideals," she said. "What is your name?"
A flicker of hurt passed in the man's lavender orbs. It did not go unnoticed by the young woman.
"Kenshin," he said. "Himura Kenshin."
She smiled brightly as she turned towards him fully and bowed her head down a little. "Kamiya Kaoru. Nice to meet you Himura-san." She looked back up and saw that the man's eyes had become watery. Out of worry, she asked, "Himura-san .. daijoubu?"
The man's eyes widened and his face quickly changed from being melancholy to becoming cheerful. "H-hai. Daijoubu, . . ." He paused and then added silently, "Kaoru-dono."
Kaoru's eyes widened as he addressed her. Kaoru-dono. It was that name! That voice! The one that she had heard in her dreams for so many nights. She furrowed her eyebrows as she studied the man before her. "Himura-san . . ano . ."
"Sumimasen, demo . . demo . . if you don't mind, please call me Kenshin," he said as his serious lavender orbs bore into her own.
Kaoru blushed at the familiar way he wanted her to address him. They had just met a few minutes ago after all! She nodded her head and the man smiled.
Kenshin smiled pleasantly as he nodded his head. The wind picked up and he noticed that a small strand of black hair had gotten loose from her bun. He reached over and tenderly put the strand behind her ear. Kaoru was completely still during the whole time watching the man. The way that he looked at her, the way that he lightly touched her sent shivers up her spine. A few long seconds passed before the man broke the trance.
"Kaoru-dono . . you were going to ask me something?"
Kaoru widened her eyes and felt her cheeks become hot again. That's right, I wanted to ask him something. I can't believe I forgot. "Ano ..," she started. Her fingers fiddled with the blades of grass underneath her as she continued. "Ano . . you seem so familiar. Have I met you from somewhere before?"
Kenshin's eyes widened a bit in surprise as his smile became a bit wider. "Sessha . .sessha."
"Hello."
A voice from behind broke the quiet conversation between the two.
Kaoru turned around so she could see who had called. Her face broke into a bright smile at seeing who had come. "Sou-chan," she said happily.
Soujiro only nodded as he took purposeful strides forward towards Kaoru's new companion. Kenshin's eyes followed the blue-eyed man steadily. The smile that the young man had on his face was a bit different from that time he had fought him in Shishio's mansion. The boy politely bowed down as he took his place next to Kaoru.
He's too close to her, Kenshin thought protectively.
As Soujiro sat down, the young man turned to the red-haired man and smiled. What he saw made his breath catch in his throat. He blinked his eyes. He could have sworn Himura's eyes were gold just then. It must have been a trick of the sun, the young boy thought to himself.
"It's a pleasure seeing you again, Himura-san," Soujiro said cheerfully.
"I could say the same, Soujiro."
Kaoru's mouth opened into a surprised 'o'. "The both of you have met before?!" she gasped. Both of the men turned to look at her. One displaying a cheerful grin while the other slightly nodded at her realization.
"Himura-san and I had met each other back in Japan."
"Oh," Kaoru said her eyes widening in understanding.
"How have you been and what brings you here to Shanghai, Himura-san?" the young man asked with a polite and thoughtful smile on his face. As Kenshin opened his mouth in response, Soujiro's eyes narrowed in interest.
"I came to China to find someone important to me," he said assuredly as he lay his eyes on Kaoru for a long while. Kaoru felt herself blush.
The blue-eyed man slowly nodded. "And have you found that person?"
Kenshin looked over at the man and said, "I have . . and yet I haven't."
"Eto? What do you mean?" Kaoru asked befuddled by his answer.
The crimson-haired man looked over at the woman and smiled.
Kaoru continually looked at Kenshin with puzzled eyes wondering exactly what he meant by those words.
Soujiro looked between the two. By then he had put two and two together. From what had happened earlier with Sagara-san and now with Himura-san's appearance, he deduced that Kaoru was that important person to Himura. He clenched his fists a little. He had been alone for so long and had always felt that he was missing something in his existence. That was until he had met Kaoru. Since meeting her, his emotions came to him more easily and he felt that he could live like a normal person. He could cope with his past and accepted it as a part of what molded him.
Now that Himura was here, he would lose that sense of security and love. Soujiro looked over at the woman next to him. Kao-chan .. I don't want to leave your side so quickly. Not this soon, he said to himself. He looked over at the red-haired man who was steadily watching him and Soujiro felt a bit guilty. Gomenasai, Himura-san. Just for a little while longer. Onegai.
Was it wrong for him to be just a little selfish?
"Kao-chan, it's getting dark. We should go back in."
The girl looked over at the younger man with a distraught face. "Demo," she began. Soujiro smiled as he motioned for her hand after he stood up.
"Higurashi-san may get worried," Soujiro pressed in a somewhat urgent tone.
"Ano .." Kaoru looked over at Kenshin with sad eyes. She wanted to learn more about this stranger that she had just met.
"Sumimasen, Himura-san. We can talk longer next time," Soujiro said as he bowed.
"H-hai," Kenshin replied with his eyes on Kaoru.
"It was nice meeting you, Himu . . I mean Kenshin," she said.
The man smiled enjoying the sound of his name on her lips. It had been a long time since he had heard her voice calling his name. "It was nice meeting you, Kaoru-dono."
The woman nodded her head quickly as she took Soujiro's hand and got up and started walking back with him towards their "house." Kenshin lingered on watching Kaoru's figure moving away from him. As they were becoming to be close to out of sight, the man noticed that the girl had turned her head back around to look at him. He smiled.
Maybe it wasn't too late.
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That night Kaoru felt herself staring out into the darkness above and around her. The sound crickets chirping outside her window and the rustling of leaves drowned out any silence from the room. She tossed and turned on her futon as she tried to make herself fall asleep. But sleep alluded her for her thoughts were filled with the events that afternoon.
The spiky-haired man and the young boy.
How happy they had been when they had seen her. She rubbed her forehead meticulously with the back of her hand as she forced herself to remember. What happened in between the time my father had died and Sou-chan finding me? How come I can't remember?! Those people had to have been important to me. Did they come all the way to China to search for me?, she thought in awe.
Then she remembered an important detail about the meeting.
Sou-chan! He recognized one of the men. He addressed him as "Sagara-san".
Kaoru folded her arms above her blanket as she stared up into the ceiling. Sou-chan had also met Kenshin before.
"Ken-shin . ." she whispered softly into the dark.
Kaoru felt butterflies in her stomach as she remembered how the man would look at her. She didn't know why, but she felt somehow "secure" when she was with the man. She blushed at the thought that she was already thinking such thoughts towards someone who was a complete stranger to her. There was something about him though. Something that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Why do I feel as if I've seen him from somewhere?, she questioned herself in her thoughts. She had tried to bring up the matter to Soujiro during dinner, but he had lightly brushed it off and changed it to another topic.
That night Kaoru tossed and turned on her futon, trying to find a comfortable position to fall asleep. She sighed. There were just too many thoughts going through her head and too many things that were a blur to her. She looked out the window and saw that day was about to break.
She sat up and 'hmphed'. There was no point to trying to go to sleep now when she would have to get up in an hour anyway. Kaoru stood up and fixed her yukata as she put on some slippers. Maybe I can talk to Sou-chan and he'll tell me more about them. Maybe I'll remember something new. She slid open the shoji door and softly padded her way through the hall towards Soujiro's room.
"Sou-chan?" she called out when she was at the front of his room. Kaoru quietly slid open the shoji door and tiptoed inside the area.
"Sou-chan?" she called out again in a louder voice as she made her way over to toward the center of the room.
The room was dark and quiet as she tread slowly over to Soujiro's futon. When she got there, she gasped in surprise.
It was empty.
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- To be continued
Author's Notes:
Please read and review! Thanks I really appreciate the feedback. ^_^ I had more difficult than I had initially thought with this chapter. I don't like it that much, but that was all I could think to do with it. Perhaps I'll revise some parts later. ^_^
Thanks to all those who have reviewed!
Reader Responses:
Half breed fox – Thanks for reviewing! Sorry for the wait in updating.
Sailor-Earth 13 – I'm glad you enjoyed the other chapter. ^_^ Thanks for the review!
Kago2350 – Hihi. Thanks for posting your comments! =D Hope you enjoyed this chapter
Beriath – Sorry for the long wait before updating, but this chapter is longer than the last one. ^_^
Babo-chan – Hello! I haven't heard from you in awhile. Umm . . the Aoshi/Kaoru story probably won't be posted until after I finish up this story. =/ so I'll probably post it over the summer.
Oro Oreos 741 – Hello. I'm really glad you enjoy this story so far! It's always great to hear comments from you guys. ^_^
Chibi Fyrefly – hi. Sorry for the long wait before updating. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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O.Juice – Hi! Hehe. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry for the long wait before updating. Anyway, what's gonna happen in ur fic? ;P Please update yours soon!
Baby Kaoru-sama – Hello. Thanks for reading this story and thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them.
Boomerang-chan – Wah! Soujiro plushie?!?! *author looks frantically around for one.. Sigh. I want my own Soujiro plushie. ;P *starts poking B-chan to ask where she can get one. Hehehe
Ariel- Hi. I'm really glad you enjoy reading this story. ^_^ It's so great to hear feedback from you! Thanks!
Kairi7- Hi! Thanks for reviewing and reading the story. I'm glad you enjoy it so far! Btw, is your sn based on the girl from Kingdom Hearts? Hehe. .I love that game.
Monique- Hi! Sorry for the long wait before updating. I haven't had a time to check out your fic yet, but I promise I will very soon!! Keke. I've been pretty busy lately and haven't been able to go on ff.net much. =(
Deman – thanks for reviewing!
Gypsy-chan – Hi! Hehe. . I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Your comments make me blush. ^_^. Hope you enjoy this one also.
GoldAngel2 – Hello. =D Hmm .. Kenshin seems to be getting more confidence back now. =D There will be more action in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading this one!
Missbehavin – Hihi! Thanks again for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the chapter! ^_^ This story is finally coming close to a finish and all the questions will be answered. ^_^ As for how Kenshin will find out about Soujiro and Kaoru being siblings .. hmm .. that'll be a very fun scene to write!
Doris – Hello. Thanks for reviewing! Hmm. . the last chapter? .. I'm not exactly sure yet. It won't be that far away. Not too far away that is. ^_^
Princess of Darkness and me – Yup yup that is who you think it is! =D After 30 chapters, they finally meet again. Lol ..
Onitokage – Hi hi! Thanks for your comments! I have so much fun reading them. ^_^ Well, yup Kaoru doesn't really remember Kenshin after meeting him, but she feels that he is somewhat familiar to her. =) Anyway, sorry for the long wait before updating! I have not been able to work on the other story much at all lately. I have part of the chapter written for the other one, but that's about it. =( .. I'll try to work on it some more this weekend.
The sacred night- Hi! *author blushes. Thanks for the comments! I sometimes have trouble trying to develop Kaoru's feelings about everything. =/ and Kenshin's of course. But anyway, I'm glad you like my efforts in describing their emotions. =)
Kawaiililaznkitsune – Hello. Yep, Kenshin has a chance with Kaoru. =) lol . . it would be a bit awkward if Sou/Kao still got together after knowing about their relationship. Anyway, I plan on writing a Sou/Kao fic sometime later. ^_^
Moderndaybattousai – Hehe. Kenshin and Kaoru finally meet . .after . . 30 chapters. Lol. .Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as well!
Anabell – Thanks for reviewing! Sorry for the long wait before updating!
Tonomi aka ichi – Hi! Sorry this chapter took so long before coming out. Hope you enjoyed it.
Amanda – Thanks for reading and I'm glad you enjoy the story so far!
Chibi_Nana – Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story and find it "in character." Anyway, yeah, how you imagined the scene between Kaoru and Kenshin was pretty much exactly what I had in mind. Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!