By: O. Juice
::~:: Because as of today, Kaoru thought bitterly, Kaoru Kamiya gives up all hope of ever finding HIM. ::~::
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Chapter 2
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(Five years later)
"Lilies or tulips...?" Tokio mumbled as she raised each flower to the light. "What do you think, Kaoru? Lilies or tulips?"
"Huh?" Kaoru snapped back from her thoughts, "Oh, why not stick to roses? That's what Saitou wanted, right?" She replied, picking up a bouquet of red roses.
Tokio was getting married in two months, she's twenty-three now, a year older than Kaoru. It was like yesterday when Kaoru saw Tokio running around the halls of Tokyo High in that pink tank top she loved to no end.
"True." Tokio started to think, raising the red roses against the fabric she had chosen earlier, "But what does Saitou know? He's a man, not a designer." She shook her head as she let out a confused sigh. "I think I'll stick with tulips."
Kaoru let out an amused smile, "Whatever you say, Tokio."
She turned her attention to the rest of the flower shop. The fragrance of flowers was all blended into one big perfumed air, and if you stay long enough you can go dizzy. Just like what Kaoru was feeling right now.
"Tokio, I'm going to meet up with the rest of them. Will you be all right if I go?" She asked Tokio who was already covered with a mountain of flowers.
"Sure, go on ahead. I'll be there soon." She mumbled as she continued to ponder on lilies or tulips.
'At this rate,' Kaoru thought to herself, 'Tokio wont be having any flowers at all.'
As Kaoru walked down the streets of Tokyo, she took a deep breath of the crisp winter air.
She moved downtown about three years ago when she got accepted in a college nearby. Kaoru set her sights on medicine, something that had always eluded her when she was little. Nothing life changing has happened since she moved, except for Tokio's upcoming marriage that is. The blue-eyed girl still kept in touch with a select few friends, some of them were even here with her in Tokyo and the rest of them scattered across the world. Kaoru preys every night that Enishi is somewhere deep in the jungles of Africa not having a good time without toilet paper.
It was about noon, and as usual, the streets were littered with people on their lunch breaks. Kaoru continued to think about all the things that have happened so far as she passed person after person.
"Watch it!" Kaoru angrily muttered as a shoulder sharply hit her own.
"Oh, I'm very sorry." A man turned, smiled the most gorgeous smile she had ever seen and bowed slightly.
'If he didn't just derail my train of thought,' Kaoru thought to herself, 'I would have asked him out for coffee.'
But instead of offering to take him out, Kaoru only rolled her eyes thinking the city was just too crowded at times. She arrived at the local teahouse, the Akabeko, a favorite place to hang out with her friends.
There were many booths and rooms where you can drink and eat, most of which were packed with people. She dodged the hustle and bustle of waiters and waitresses as she made her way to the booth in the far back.
"Hey, Kaoru! Over here!" Misao's happy voice cut through the air, accompanying her flailing arms.
Kaoru smiled brightly at the girl as she made her way to their usual table by the kitchen. Misao and Kaoru met some time late college freshman year. They were both in the same Literature class and were paired up to do a human-interest piece on each other. When Misao had heard Kaoru's problem with her current apartment (it was too small) she offered to room with her in a nice big place a few blocks away.
"Tokio said she'd be here soon." Kaoru said as she opened up the menu.
"Why do you even bother looking in that? We all know Miss Tae's already created every single kind of sushi out there. And every kind of sandwich too." Misao concluded as she took a drink from her unusually large glass of soda.
"Where did you get that?" Kaoru's brow arched as she pointed at the huge glass.
"She stole it from the kitchen." Came a tired, strained reply. "Anyway, what can I get you guys?"
"I didn't steal it, Aoshi!" Misao shook her head with a slight frown, "I asked Miss Tae if I could use it for my drink. She has tiny glasses that are way too small for me." She shrugged.
"Right." Aoshi rolled his eyes. "What will it be, Kaoru?"
Kaoru put down her menu, "A tuna sandwich, the way I like it please. And an iced tea in a glass as big as Misao's." She jibed, half hoping for there to be another giant glass and soon realizing she might need to go to the bathroom every two minutes if she got one.
"Misao, what about you? Do you want anything else?" Aoshi turned to her as he scribbled down Kaoru's order.
"Hm? Oh, what did I have last time? I think I'll just get one of those." She said with a big grin.
"And what did you have last time?" Aoshi shifted his weight, waiting for Misao's response.
"Whichever will be fine." She slightly waved her hand before her in a dismissive gesture.
"You won't tell me what you want, will you?" Aoshi said softly, his black hair hanging over his eyes as they stared at Misao's own. He shook his head in what seemed to be impatience, and left Misao and Kaoru to wait for their food.
Misao blinked, wondering if Aoshi meant for his comment to come out the way it did. She shrugged it off and turned to Kaoru, "Did Tokio choose?"
"I'm not so sure. She was thinking lilies or tulips." She shrugged, brushing back her bangs, "But then, I think she'll end up buying a meadow if we don't hold her back." Misao snorted in agreement.
"I thought Saitou wanted roses?" The girl said as she rested her chin on her palm.
"That's what I said," Kaoru shrugged, "but you know, she'll never listen."
"I hear you." Misao nodded.
"Hey there ladies." Sanosuke said as he sat down next to Misao.
Sanosuke is a friend of Kaoru's from high school who enrolled late into second semester. They met through Kenshin, being the kind of guy he is. Sano is strange in Kaoru's eyes; strange because he's been hitting on Misao for two years now but still hasn't asked her out in a solid date.
"Where's Tokio?" He asked, putting an arm around Misao who instantly shrugged it off.
"She's picking flowers." Misao said as a matter-of-factly as she inched farther from Sano.
"What's the matter, Misao?" Sano grinned, scooting closer to her.
"Geez, Sano!" Misao frowned in frustration.
She desperately resented the man with the messy brown hair a top his head. When they talked, it seemed as though more often than not Sano would always manage to get her angry. 'If he wasn't like that,' Misao thought in her mind, 'he might actually be cute.'
"Hey, hey," Aoshi brought their attention to him. "Here you go. I got you the chicken salad, Misao." He said as he put down their food.
"I'll have the Tae Special and some sake." Sano grinned at Aoshi.
"Right. Don't you work here too? You're lucky Miss Tae is so nice and considerate and isn't going to fire you." He shook his head with a frown.
"Oh, right. I better get working then. Later, ladies." He grinned again, and gave Misao and quick kiss on the cheek, which she vigorously wiped off.
"Sano, I told you not to ever do that." She muttered as he smirked and left. "I swear, sometimes I think he's the one who started the deaf ear or something." She shook her head.
"Uh-huh." Aoshi nodded along. "Sorry, Kaoru. We're fresh out of giant glasses." He said sympathetically as he put down her regular sized drink.
"That's all right." Kaoru smiled and took a sip from her iced tea. "When do you get off work? Tokio wants to take us to the festival tonight."
For Tokio's second bridal shower (which she proclaimed only for close friends), she wanted to go out and party like a seven year old. Which, to her, is only possible at a festival.
"I get off at six. I'll just meet you guys there." He said as he started to leave.
Kaoru nodded in understanding as she began to eat her sandwich, Misao on her salad. They were almost done when Tokio came in bursting in with a big bouquet grasped in her hands.
"See what you did?" She shot the two an accusing look. "Now I had to buy one of each! Ooh, Saitou is going to get mad." She sighed.
"I told you to stick with roses." Kaoru said smartly, "You wouldn't have this problem if you stuck with roses."
"Yeah, yeah." Tokio sighed, "I'm going to the bathroom. When Aoshi comes get me the chocolate sundae surprise."
"All right." Misao answered for her before taking another huge gulp from her drink.
::~::
"The blue one, or the pink one...?" Tokio mumbled over and over.
'Great,' Kaoru sighed, 'Here we are again.'
Misao impatiently tapped on her foot, she isn't one for waiting too long. Especially when it came to sweets.
"Get the blue one. You love the blue one." She advised for the hundredth time.
"Hm, all right then." She finally agreed, and got her cotton candy from the tired of waiting vendor.
'Getting married sure does makes you consider your options very well.' Kaoru concluded.
"I'd like the biggest pink cotton candy you got, mister!" Misao said with such aggressiveness the man slightly jumped and started to fumble for the biggest clump of spun sugar.
Soon, all three were able to get their snacks and made their way to the waiting men. They walked passed game booths adorned with many prizes and bright lights. They neared their friends who were obviously tried of waiting.
"What took you so long?" Saitou asked, taking a piece from Tokio's cotton candy.
"She couldn't decide." Kaoru said with a slight smile, glancing at the surrounding booths.
"How hard could it be?" Saitou's brow rose as he put an arm around his fiancé.
"Very hard." Misao said with a slightly upturned nose as she continued to eat her food.
"Are we all here?" Tokio looked around.
"No, but Aoshi's on his way. He waited for Sano and Kenshin."
As the conversation went on, Kaoru's feet seemed to develop a life of it's own as she began to eye a particularly small tent.
"Wanna give it a go, Kaoru?" Misao asked as she tossed her trash into a trashcan.
Kaoru nodded enthusiastically. She loved these things, you know, the mystery surrounding a pack of cards that told you your future. The two soon came inside the fog-infested booth, and was greeted by a gypsy woman with a large mole on her forehead.
"Come in." She welcomed them.
"We want our fortunes told." Kaoru started as she took out her money.
The gypsy nodded. "One of you go to the room next door. You, come with me." She pointed straight at Kaoru as Misao turned to enter the other room.
The two paid their money and went their separate ways, wishing each other luck as they walked to their respective seats. Kaoru adored having her fortunes told. Being the kind of girl who resented surprises, especially bad ones, she always loved any kind of heads up or warning.
She sat down on the large red beanbag chair as she woman began to stare blindly into the glowing crystal ball.
The gypsy closed her eyes momentarily and began to hum.
"Hum..." She started to slightly sway, "I see a very bitter past."
Kaoru frowned, 'My past wasn't that bitter!'
"I see no luck with the men, eh?" The woman chuckled, causing Kaoru's frown to deepen, "But I see good fortune with other things. I see a bright future in whatever you are pursuing. I see a happy life--as if all the bitterness is being made up for. But what's this?"
Kaoru sat at the edge of her seat, barely registering she had not been breathing for quite a while.
"Oh, more bitterness." The woman said flatly.
Kaoru frowned, ready to demand a refund and leave.
"But then again, life can only get better." She smiled softly. "Here's my advice to you: Things aren't what they seem. Don't settle. Go for your dreams and follow your heart. And if all else fails, he'll be there. Always."
"What?" Kaoru blinked a few times before changing her question. "Who?"
"You know," The woman smirked every so slightly, "HIM."
Kaoru felt shivers run down her spine as she had said it. 'How in the world did she know about HIM?!' Kaoru thought in a panic. But before she could even ask, the lights turned on and the fog disappeared.
"Whoops. Time's up. Go meet your friend, tell your other friends too, yeah? Business isn't going so well." She requested as she ushered her out the door.
"Well?" Misao asked with hopeful eyes, "How did it go? Mine was so off! She said I was exhausting someone on the verge of asking me to dinner! Tch, what load of turkey."
Kaoru almost laughed, "Well, you ARE a little out there." Misao frowned. "I mean, it takes a while for you to process certain things." Kaoru continued to tease.
"Yeah, whatever. So... you haven't said anything! What did she say?" Misao began to plea.
"Oh, the lady said that he'd always be there. It was all so strange." Kaoru said quickly, not particularly wanting to talk about it as they walked to the group.
"How did it go?" Sanosuke grinned, putting an arm around Misao who quickly shrugged it off.
"It said you'll die young if you keep hanging around me." Misao rolled her eyes.
"So, do you guys just want to split up and meet here in an hour?" Tokio suggested as she snaked an arm around Saitou.
"But I thought it was a party?" Kaoru asked with a knowing smile.
"Yeah, it is. But in parties you can't hang around one group the entire time! It isn't healthy." She said as a matter-of-factly, "It's rude. So meet here, in one hour." Tokio grinned and headed to the tunnel of love with a smiling Saitou.
"Okay, well, you want to go ride the roller coaster?" Misao asked Kaoru as they both glanced at the massive seven looping roller coaster with the six-hour wait.
"No, I don't want to wait that long." Kaoru shrugged.
"I'll come." Aoshi said.
"Me too," Sano offered with a grin.
"Oh all right," Misao frowned, "Just don't barf all over me, Sano."
The three left to the roller coater, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru to their own devices. "Where to?" She asked.
Kenshin shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me."
They ended up looking at four different attractions, one of which involved a pitiful bearded woman-man. The other was a firewalker and the last one they had visited was a strength tester. The two spent at least thirty minutes while Kenshin tried over and over to make the bell on the top ding in sharp deafening manner instead of a quiet ping. The last one the two had settled on was a competition. It was a pop the balloon booth with the darts. They each had twenty-five and had to pop as much balloons in two minutes.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked with a grin, "I mean, it would hurt your ego when I beat you." She said as she reached for her first feathered dart.
Kenshin smiled as he forked a hand through his red hair a small smile spreading across his face, "The only way you can beat me, Kaoru, is if I let you win. I highly doubt I will let it happen because I have my eye on the water guns to squirt you with, that I do."
Kaoru let out a snort, "Well, if you want those cheap plastic guns as much as I want that fuzzy rabbit, then I think I would win."
"Whatever you say, Kaoru." Kenshin said with a pleasant smile.
The lady at the booth was kind enough to keep time as the two battled it out.
Pop, pop, pop went Kaoru's balloons. But unfortunately, Kenshin's went pop, pop, pop, pop, and then some. Kaoru frowned, instantly blaming the wind for knocking off her aim.
"What will it be, sir?" The woman asked.
Kaoru sighed, ready to get soaked with cold spurts of water.
"I'll take that rabbit please." Kenshin said as he slightly rubbed the back of his neck.
Kaoru turned to him with a big smile, "Really?"
Kenshin's teasing smile came out as he replied, "What makes you think it's for you?"
Kaoru frowned, "Oh my mistake. I didn't know you were into those girly things. But then again, your hair is longer than mine." She teased.
Kenshin thanked the woman and tossed Kaoru the large, white, fuzzy rabbit. "Come on, I think our hour is up."
Kaoru gave the rabbit a quick squeeze before following Kenshin.
In the distance, the two could see Misao, Sano, and a not so great looking Aoshi eating some funnel cake and Tokio and Saitou not too far behind.
"So, what do we do now?" Kaoru asked Tokio.
She thought for a moment before suggesting, "Why not ride one all together?"
"Please not another roller coaster. My head still hurts from Sano screaming like a girl." Aoshi rubbed his sore temples.
"Say what?! It was you who was yelling and on the verge of barfing!" Sano said defensively.
"Whatever you two," Misao gave them a weary smile. "You both sound like girls when you scream."
Sano and Aoshi were about to defend themselves when Kenshin quickly interrupted, "Why don't we ride the Ferris wheel? It would be fun, that it would."
::~::
Misao smiled softly to herself seeing Aoshi sit next to her for the Ferris wheel ride. She was sure Sano would have beaten Aoshi to her but it seemed like he was too sick from the roller coaster or probably too scared of heights to even bother.
"Hey, Aoshi." Misao smiled, "Nice night, huh?"
Aoshi just nodded. Misao bit back a frown. It seemed as though whenever they were alone, Aoshi did not want to talk but when there were other people he seemed willing to share his thoughts.
'It's probably just the way he is.' Misao concluded, resting her chin on her palm as their cart began it's ascend.
The cart stopped once in a while, letting other people get on the ride as well. Misao and Aoshi sat in silence, something Misao wasn't too sure she liked. Being silent was one thing Misao would rather not do. She was a people person, always ready and willing to take on whatever it was that was coming. She turned to face Aoshi, his gaze seemingly stuck on the window in front of them.
Misao giggled, "You should relax more, Aoshi."
Startled, he turned to her and simply said, "I am."
She raised a skeptical eyebrow at the man next to her. "Sure you are."
Aoshi sulked deeper into the chair, rested his head on the window and then turned to Misao with a lazy smile. "Is that better?"
A faint blush tinged Misao's cheeks as she nodded, "Much. You look better when you smile."
Misao hadn't realized she had just spoken what she was just thinking. Her hands clasped onto her mouth as she desperately prayed Aoshi hadn't heard her right. But instead, he laughed.
"You do too, Misao. You do too." He said simply, then resigned himself back to the silence he's accustomed to.
Misao smiled inwardly as she turned to face the skyline of Tokyo, blissfully unaware Aoshi had inched closer to her.
::~::
Kaoru yawned, leaning back on the tilting cart.
"Don't do that!" Kenshin began to yell as he neurotically looked down.
"Do what, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked innocently as she continued to make the cart rock.
"THAT! I swear, if we fall I'm going to take you with me." Kenshin warned, gripping onto the handles on the sides of the enclosed box.
Kaoru laughed, "You're a wuss, Kenshin!"
"I am not." Kenshin frowned, "I don't like how it rocks. It's very unsafe, that it is." He explained.
"Hey," Kaoru pointed out, "you can see Misao and Aoshi ahead of us."
Their gaze traveled to the steady cart before them, a quiet Misao and Aoshi sitting next to each other.
Kaoru was seated next to Kenshin as she loosely held onto her new plush rabbit. She began to sink in the skyline of Tokyo and the lights that sprinkled throughout the city. The stars adorned the sky like tiny candles floating in the ocean. They continued to look out, feasting on the view as the two waited for the ride to end.
There was a familiar and comfortable silence between the two as they gazed out the nicely polished window. Kaoru turned to him, about to say something. That is, until Kaoru caught Kenshin staring at her.
"W-what?" Kaoru asked nervously.
"Nothing. It's just your side has a better view, that it does." Kenshin shrugged as he continued to look Kaoru's way.
She gave him one last nervous glance before looking back out the window again. She could feel Kenshin inch closer to her as he put his arm around her shoulders. Kaoru hesitantly turned to him. Everything was a blur and went by so fast for her. Her heart began to race as she stared at Kenshin's violet eyes as their faces began inching closer and closer together. Just as their lips slightly brushed, Kaoru's eyes were caught by two familiar faces.
There was Misao and Aoshi. Their faces were pressed against the glass as they stared at them in utter shock. Kaoru quickly withdrew, Kenshin was slightly startled but then shook it off and mumbled a quick sorry.
"It's all right, Kenshin." Kaoru uneasily whispered back as she looked out the window once more. Misao and Aoshi's faces leaving imprints on their window.
A million thoughts were racing through Kaoru's mind right now, and one question out shone them all: Was she just about to kiss Kenshin?
::~::
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin!
Author's Notes: Hi! I hoped you like this so far! Ah, I know the Sanosuke/Misao thing is very weird, if not very wrong, but I PROMISE I'll fix it. Megumi's going to pop up in the next chapter and so is Soujiro! I'll have chapter three up by Tuesday, the latest.
A big thank you to for reviewing:
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Moonwind
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