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IMPORTANT!!!!:
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Okay, I'm writing this story over. For all of you who've read up to chapter 7, I thank you very much and appreciate all of your reviews. I'm not exactly satisfied with how I've made this story come out. The chapters got short, and the characters' personalities weren't how they should've been. I'm HOPING to make the chapters longer and the character's actions better. Sadly, my reviews will be lost. I was almost up to the 100 mark, too. Thank you so much, though. I hope you like the new version!
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Onto the story!
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Chapter 2 ; "Preserve The Lingering Feel"
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My mind could only comprehend the pounding in my chest, perspiration gliding down my temples, and the heat boiling on the surface of my skin. Pitch black enclosed my form, preventing my eyes from searching my surroundings.
"No!" I shouted as I immediately sat up, my eyes opening. My environment was soon recognized as my bedroom. It all came rushing back to me in one sharp moment as the sweat on my forehead turned cold.
Reality clashed with fiction as my mind became an arena strictly suited for war. Just the perpetual thought forced my muscles to contract, unconsciously pushing my body up and off of my futon. It seemed as though I was carried out of my room and down the hallway. Everything was coated in a thick blanket of darkness, the moon's gentle light nested only in few spots.
The sound of my bare feet colliding with the wooden floor carried itself throughout the home until I came to a stop in front of his room. The sudden snapping sound of a door sliding open disrupted all from peaceful sleep. Next to be heard was heavy panting, closely followed by a whimper as I collapsed, letting the wooden floor below me still my motion.
He left.
My eyes never moved from the futon in the middle of the room. It was unfolded and the blanket covering it was slightly disheveled. The room was empty of any human being, nonetheless.
Two pairs of footsteps came racing toward me from either side of the hallway, as well as two voices. Two very familiar voices.
"What's going on?" Yahiko's voice reached me and my eyes traveled to look at him. At least someone was still here.
"Miss Kaoru, are you alright?" Kenshin's voice distracted me, and I no longer had any intentions of answering Yahiko's question. I slowly turned my head to look toward Kenshin, who came over to my side quickly.
"Kenshin..?" My voice cracked slightly, unsure if this was just another nightmare or not. I felt a cool breeze rush over my body and my spine instantly shivered in reaction. Kenshin knelt in front of me with a concerned look. I could tell he was saying something because his lips were moving, but I couldn't hear him. As a matter of fact, I couldn't hear anything anymore. I couldn't be deaf because I had just heard both Kenshin and Yahiko a moment ago. But why couldn't I hear them now?
Everything slowly faded except for Yahiko and Kenshin. But it seemed that I had thought too soon, for their figures started to fade as well.
I wanted to shout. To say something. I wanted them to hear me. Why wouldn't they? My mouth moved, and I felt pressure being released from my lungs, just the way someone would speak, but I heard nothing. Absolute silence.
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Yahiko held me up, struggling slightly, for he was overwhelmed with confusion and the weight of my body. Kenshin tried to communicate with my lifeless form, mentioning my name over and over, as if it would make me come to.
Kenshin took my body from Yahiko, holding me carefully, and carried me into his room. It was as if he carried me like glass, making sure that every step he took was careful and that I was alright.
As Yahiko watched, Kenshin slowly knelt down next to his futon and gently placed me down. Yahiko told Kenshin that he was leaving to get Megumi and that he would be back as quick as possible.
Kenshin nodded, agreeing, and looked back down at me. Worry filled his eyes and he slowly brushed a lock of hair away from my face. He continued to try and interact with my unconscious form, every now and then patting the side of my neck in an attempt to wake me from sleep.
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Megumi walked into Kenshin's bedroom with Yahiko following closely behind, observing everything.
After Megumi checked me, she described to Kenshin and Yahiko what had happened. She told them of how there were no physical injuries, but that I had just passed out and that I might remain unconscious for a while. They both understood. Kenshin allowed Megumi to rest in one of the guest rooms, and he had persuaded Yahiko to get to sleep and that I was fine. Kenshin stayed next to me, watching me with a tired look in his eyes.
He watched me the whole time. For all the long hours that I had been unconscious.
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After what seemed to me like only a few moments of eerie, uncomfortable silence and lack of sight, I felt something under me. It felt like the gentle material that made up a futon. My nose wrinkled ever so slightly as a scent filled my head. A familiar scent that I breathed in and loved every day. Kenshin's scent. Then Yahiko's and Megumi's. But their scents weren't as strong.
I felt my eyelids slowly drift open. Everything around me wasn't as dark as it had been just before. My eyes lazily drifted to the side, catching a glimpse of red. Kenshin. I struggled slightly as my eyes focused on his form. He was sitting cross-legged next to me, his head bent forward so his chin was in contact with his chest. The hair that was held in a ponytail behind his neck was hanging lifelessly over his shoulder, beside his face. I couldn't see his eyes from my point of view, being as his bangs hung forward and cast a shadow on his face.
Soon enough, though, his head turned and I could see caring amethyst eyes looking over my figure. His comfortable position changed and he moved nearer to me. He was kneeling close to me, his hands even closer. His head was tilted slightly and I stared up at him with an expressionless gaze. I noticed that his lips were moving, but once again, I couldn't hear anything.
Slowly, sound entered my system, and I could hear again. His voice sounded a bit faraway, but I could hear him at least. He was calling my name over and over. He sounded worried and confused.
If anyone was confused, it was me.
"Miss Kaoru?" His eyes traveled over my weak form quickly before returning back to look into my eyes. "Miss Kaoru…are you awake?"
"K-…Ken-…" I heard my voice, distant and quiet.
"You're awake, that you are." His statement sounded like a load had been taken off of his shoulders, and I could tell by his slightly relaxed posture that he was relieved. The edges of his lips curved upward a bit, showing a tiny smile.
"What….what happened?" I slowly pushed myself to sit up, the muscles in my arms trying hard to work. A pain in my back only made it worse, not letting me sit straight. I had to bend my upper torso forward to stay up without accompaniment, but that didn't mean that pain had walked out the door.
"You passed out, that you did, Miss Kaoru." I felt his hand pressed against my back and placed my own hands down on the futon on either side of me before he continued. "Why were you sitting outside of my room before?"
Oh yeah. I had a nightmare before about Kenshin leaving. I couldn't let it happen, though. I wouldn't let it happen, and of course he wouldn't just leave like how he had in the nightmare. I was absolutely positive that no one else would let him leave either, so I had to force myself to stop thinking about it.
Returning to the subject of Kenshin's bedroom, I realized that I had in fact traveled to Kenshin's room, and that I was presently inside of it. Sitting on his futon.
"…Kenshin? How long had I been unconscious for?" My sapphire eyes looked out the open door, seeing that it was late morning. The birds outside were chirping with innocent delight, and the leaves that hung off tree branches blew gently in the breeze. The light from the sun slowly crept into the room, inching closer and closer to Kenshin and myself.
"I'm afraid you have been sleeping for quite some time, Miss Kaoru. You've been unconscious for a few hours, that you have." He looked outside as well, letting his eyes slowly inspect every detail that was possible to see, and even more.
It was amazing how wonderful the man next to me could be, and how kind and generous his personality was, for who he had been in the past. If you walked up to any random citizen walking along the road and asked them who this man was, based on his personality, they wouldn't have a clue. It befuddled me how an ex-assassin came to be so incredibly caring and peaceful, but I knew that whatever had happened to him was his business and his business alone. If I were to ever know, he would tell me on his own schedule, when he was ready and willing. And I was perfectly fine with the idea of him not telling me anyway; for I had secrets of my own that he did not know of. Secrets that held my past and never let go, but I wasn't ready to tell anyone those because I believed that if I did tell them, their image of me would change. Maybe that was how he felt about what had happened to him, and if it was, then I knew how he felt and I didn't want anyone barging into my little sense of privacy. That little barrier that kept past from present was one of the things that I had to cling to and save for my own sake. I needed it, and I needed it desperately, otherwise my past would flood into the present and disrupt people's opinions about me. People wouldn't think of me as a normal person. They would just feel bad for me. Feel sorry for me, and wish that they could help me. Well, I don't want people's sorrow or distress, that's not what I need. What I need is…
"I've really been passed out for that long?" I looked down into my lap to notice that I still had my sleeping yukata on, and how it, well….didn't cover me as appropriately as it was made to. As I was hurrying to fix my clothing, Yahiko walked in with Megumi.
'Oh great.' I groaned inwardly as I watched Megumi come closer, Yahiko waiting by the door to hear the conversation.
"Raccoon Girl. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" The sweet and sincere sounding voice of the female doctor announced her presence to all who hadn't known of it earlier. There was only one woman in the world who would dare to call me 'raccoon girl', and that one woman was standing above me this very moment.
For the sake of little ears in the room, I didn't react...as harshly as I wanted to.
"Fox Lady. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" A gentle grin played across my lips. "Might I suggest a mask for that hideous face of yours? Spare the young ones at least, why don't you. You'll scare them half to death walking around like that." Speaking of death, the expression on her face seemed as if my own death was creeping up behind me, ready to attack at any moment. Oh the joy.
"Now, now."A tiny sweat-drop rolled down the side of Kenshin's face as he attempted to call off the oncoming catfight. "Let's settle this quick and fair. Just apologize to each other and that'll be it. You don't have to do any more than that, that you don't."
"Since it seems as if Raccoon Girl won't calm down, I'll be the mature woman here and end this just as Sir Ken has requested." Megumi grinned at me and I could've sworn that I saw fox ears pop out of that woman's head.
How dare she suck up to Kenshin like that, pretending to be the more mature one? Well, I admit, I wasn't the most mature girl in the world, but at least I wasn't throwing a fit, right?
"That's good." Kenshin smiled and looked at me. "You should take it easy, that you should. You wouldn't want to pass out again, now would you?"
"No, but-" I whined quietly as I was cut off by Megumi.
"Don't talk back to Sir Ken. Only a real woman would know that." And then came her famous laugh. How I wanted to grab Kenshin's sakabatou right about now and- … Deep breaths, Kamiya. No violence. Who would like a bratty, sweaty little violent girl who throws temper tantrums all the time? Definitely not Kenshin.
I heard Yahiko adding to the laughter in the background and glared at him. Yes, a glare that clearly said "100 perfect strokes". And boy, did he see those a lot.
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I had been hoping all day that I'd finally get the courage to tell Kenshin how I felt toward him, but I just couldn't. I couldn't face rejection and the utter torture it promised. Sure, Kenshin wouldn't tease me about it, but Sanosuke and Yahiko definitely would. Kenshin would just smile and shrug it off.
I wondered how Tae would deal with it if I had gotten rejected by Kenshin. She's certainly protective over me, and for all I know, she might just teach Kenshin an un-needed lesson. I mean, it's not his fault if he doesn't love me. Of course I would be upset, but you can't just force someone to love another, right? Hopefully, Tae knows that...
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The next day, I watched as Kenshin and Yahiko sparred with each other in the training hall. It wasn't very often that Kenshin agreed to spar, so this was something I wanted to see. It also gave me a short break from practicing with Yahiko, and I could think to myself of how I would go about telling Kenshin my true feelings. I needed as much time to think about it as I could get.
I always decided that I would tell him, and then I'd end up thinking about it more and I would realize that it wasn't the best idea. But then I'd end up going back and forth between the two, and I'd really end up getting nowhere. I guess I'm just not good at making decisions.
Kenshin guarded himself from all of Yahiko's attacks easily, wearing a small grin the whole way through. I almost melted.
Kenshin had it easy: the speed, the attacks….the personality, the looks, the--…
Maybe I should stop myself before I go overboard.
On the other hand, there was my student. That's really all I have to say, but I can put in a few bad words about him, right? He's annoying, he's bratty, he's young, and worst of all, he's stupid. Okay, so maybe that was a little harsh. He's not as stupid as he looks...heh. He can be a bit cunning when he wants to be. Wait…let me rephrase that. He can be a bit cunning when he gets food in return for his services. Sanosuke's the same way.
Speaking of Sano…
"Hey, Missy." Sano took his time as he walked over to me, smiling with his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"Hello, Sanosuke. Are you here for your daily mooching?" A warm sigh slid out from between my lips as my arms crossed over my chest.
"Well, no," Sanosuke's smile widened slightly and turned a bit evil before he continued, "but if you're willing to give up some money, then-"
"Forget it." I was too concentrated on the glutton next to me that I didn't notice Kenshin walking over to us. Apparently, Yahiko had lost, seeing as he was now grumbling off in a corner.
"Aw, why do you have to be so reluctant?" Sanosuke pouted.
"I'm not being reluctant, I'm just.."My attention switched to the brilliantly handsome redhead that stood beside me. "Hello, Kenshin."
Sanosuke rolled his eyes and watched me as I practically salivated all over Kenshin.
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Seem any better? I hope it does. I'll probably have the same things that happened in the other version happen in this version if not similar things.
But it most likely won't have as many chapters as last time, seeing as I stink at writing long chapters and I'm attempting to do it this time.
Sorry about the dull ending to this chapter, but…::shrug:: Some sort of writer's block, I guess…
I'm sorry about any double-spacing or random new paragraphs in the middle of a sentence. For some reason, has been doing that to me.Review please!