The Difference Between Infatuation and Love

By: Ayashi no Tenshi

Author's note: Thanks to all the people who took time to review this little fic of mine… I really appreciate you people! Whenever I see the words "Review Alert" in my Inbox, my heart jumps in excitement because I know at least people are reading my hard work.

To brief you with this chapter: It's already Sunday morning and the Kamiyas and their loved ones are in the Kamiya dojo. Stuff happens that leads to the main point of the story.

Please enjoy. That's what reading fanfics are supposed to be about, right?

BTW, Tomoe's eyes are black, not lavender. I just reread that part of the manga, and I found out, so please forgive me. I based her eye color from one of the fics I've read. So now I'll say her eyes are black.

Disclaimer: Kenshin and the others are not mine. I'm only borrowing them from Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. Any OCs here are mine, though.

Chapter 3

Kenshin watched the ebony-haired beauty named Kaoru teach her kendo classes. "Fix your grips, everyone!" she yelled. "Your bokken just might fly!" Her students laughed. Obviously, they loved the adjutant master of the Kamiya dojo. She was a most likeable person. Kenshin smiled inwardly. She had grown up.

He couldn't take his mind off the kiss they had shared the other day. She had responded so wonderfully that he wondered where she could have learned to kiss like that.

"That oil man of hers again, probably, that Enishi," Kenshin muttered. He couldn't help but feel jealous by what he felt as a blossoming relationship between him and Kaoru.

"That's right!" Kaoru exclaimed. "Your grips are better!"

Kenshin looked around and saw people watching Kaoru teach her classes, as always. Misao, Kaoru's best friend was there with her Turkish Angora cat. Misao's boyfriend, the cold Aoshi, was also there, watching emotionlessly as the little kids thrust their shinai this way and that. Sanosuke was coaching his own daughter, Ayame, who was also in the class. Soujiro was sitting with his girlfriend, Ayane, who was particularly interested in kendo as well.

"All right, wrap it up, everyone! That's all for today. See you guys next week!" Kaoru called.

"Thank you, Kaoru-sensei!" the children said. They began packing up their things. They soon began leaving one by one.

"Bento, minna-san!" Tomoe's voice called to them. Everyone scrambled up to get to the dining table. Kaoru took Ayame by hand and led her to the bathroom to dress in normal clothes.

"Wow, Kaoru-san!" Ayane exclaimed as Kaoru passed her on the way. "If only I could learn kendo." She sighed. "But Soujiro-kun told me that one should start at a young age to be good at it."

"That's all right, Ayane-chan," Kaoru said, laughing. "And don't call me Kaoru-san, we're both of the same age!"

"Maybe that's why Soujiro-kun is my boyfriend," Ayane said as she headed to the dining room. Kaoru smiled and turned to go.

Kenshin regarded Kaoru's smile with something like admiration. She was quite cute with that smile of hers. Does she really feel something for me still? The way she responded yesterday… such a response I wouldn't expect from someone who's supposed to have grown out of falling in love with me.

But aren't I the same? Don't I feel something for her as well?

I make her see me as someone who only feels cynical emotions. I still deny things I feel for her. Or is it really denial? All I can really feel is lust, probably. When I've had my way with her, I'll probably put her away, just like with the others who came before her.

But she's different. She's a different person. She's the closest female to me. All those women who came before her… they were only after my body, probably. She… she wants to help me, I think. I'm most likely too proud to make her think I want her to help me.

I'm just someone who's insensitive enough with these kinds of things. I wonder if she realizes that.

I don't know. She has always been the doll I've loved to play with ever since we were kids. I've gone as far as playing with her feelings to the point that she thinks I feel love for her. She has always been the one I'd have fun making a fool of.

But now… she's grown up and everyone knows it. She's a lot more mature now. She's not the rag doll anymore. She's someone worth loving deeply.

The question is… can I love her that deeply?

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"Itadakimasu!" everyone exclaimed as they put their hands together. They dug in into what promised to be a delicious meal.

"This is good, Tomoe-san!" Misao exclaimed. "You make the best onigiri!"

"Not to mention miso soup, onee-chan!" Kaoru exclaimed. "If only I could cook like you…"

"Yeah," Yahiko piped up. "Your cooking is terrible."

"You'd need the skill, Jou-chan," Sanosuke smirked. "You won't be able to find a husband that way."

Kaoru went quiet instantly. No one noticed.

Stupid onii-chan! He just had to bring it up!

She noticed that everyone was paired up, as usual. Ayane was sitting beside Soujiro next to her. On their side sat Misao with Aoshi. Tomoe was at the head of the table, and Akira was at her left side. Sanosuke and Megumi were seated together, each with a child in the other side. Yahiko was seated at the other end of the table.

Kenshin was seated beside Kaoru. Each tried not to notice it.

"So when's the wedding, Kiyosato-san?" Soujiro asked.

Kiyosato gave him a half smile. "We haven't planned out the details yet."

Tomoe clasped her hands together. "Whatever happens, Kaoru will have to be my wedding coordinator. After all, no one's more creative than her." Kaoru blushed at the compliment.

"Thanks, onee-chan, but I don't think I can do something as big as that."

Tomoe waved her hand up and down. "Nonsense, Kaoru-chan. You're the creative genius in this house."

"After all, you're the director of that advertising firm you work in," Soujiro added. "Beauty with the left and right brains indeed."

"Ha! I remember when we were younger, she used to teach me equations in Math," Sanosuke put in. "And she was a few levels lower in school!"

"Wasn't she accelerated, Tori Atama?" Megumi asked. "And weren't you a late bloomer?"

Sanosuke frowned. "Megitsune, I know I had to repeat a level, no need no tell me again."

Megumi laughed, and everyone could have sworn that fox ears popped out of her head. "Ohohohohoho! My Tori Atama husband, you are so sensitive. I never even said you repeated a level. You admitted it yourself."

"Anyway, how are your studies, Megumi-san?" Ayane asked.

"It's all right. I'm almost done with my internship," Megumi replied.

"You're quite fast, Megumi-chan," Tomoe said.

"Enough about this education thing!" Sanosuke interrupted. "It's making my head hurt."

"He doesn't want to bring back memories," Kenshin said calmly as everyone laughed.

"Oi, Kenshin, no need to get there," Sanosuke said in warning.

"You going to hurt me Sano?" Kenshin asked.

"Maa, maa, futari tomo," Tomoe chided. "We're at the table."

Kaoru looked out the dining room. They had opened the glass sliding door, open to the garden. It really is a nice Sunday afternoon. But why do I feel something's going to happen?

She pushed the feeling away and continued chatting with her family and friends.

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"Oh, Misao!" Tomoe said with glee. "What a cute little cat!"

"It's a Turkish Angora," Misao explained as she stroked its long white fur. "My little Nekori is so kawaii! It's just the joy of my house when I'm alone!"

"This is really a fine breed," Ayane commented. "Too bad you couldn't watch it grow up."

"I know," Misao replied, nodding. "I got her when she was already full grown."

The women admired the cat, which seemed to be getting uncomfortable.

"That's an expensive sort, isn't it, Misao?" Kaoru asked.

"Like you won't believe, Kaoru-chan," Misao replied, grinning. "That's why I got it only when it was full grown. I couldn't afford it yet when it was still a kitten." Kaoru giggled.

"Maybe you should put it down for a while," Megumi suggested. "It looks rather uncomfy."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Misao set down the cat. "Now, who's got some gossip?"

Meanwhile, the men were drinking beer at the other side of the room. "You sure you can handle this, Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked. "That time we drank sake was disastrous for you."

"Nah, I'm doing fine," Kenshin said.

"From what I remember," Soujiro put in, "Sanosuke-nii passed out first."

"Yeah," Akira replied, laughing. "Megumi had to drag him home."

Aoshi and Yahiko said nothing but both smiled slightly.

They continued drinking in silence.

Sanosuke broke the silence. "When are you going to ask Jou-chan out, Kenshin? That oil man Enishi's going to get her first."

"Why should I care?" Kenshin asked, emptying the contents of his bottle.

"You should care because you know Kaoru-nechan has some kind of sick admiration for you," Yahiko said, smirking.

"I know that, but why should I act as if I love her or something? I'll only hurt her more, and you guys are going to beat me up."

"That's true," Soujiro said thoughtfully. "But that doesn't mean you're not hurting her, so that means we'll have to beat you up one day anyway. And you don't have to act, she's a lovable girl."

"She just told me that she has no feelings for me," Kenshin said, popping open another beer. "Why should I force her?"

"Her brothers know her better than you do," Akira said. "They'd know how she was feeling."

"That's true…" Inside, Kenshin thought, Why do I even bother? It's not like I know how to love.

Unbeknownst to the young people, Nekori had wandered away into the garden. The cat explored the garden, not knowing that there was a dog prowling around the gardens. Unfortunately for her, Haro spotted her.

Everyone only knew of it when Haro started barking and the cat had shrieked. "Nekori!" Misao exclaimed, springing up.

Kaoru and Soujiro went to restrain the delirious Haro and Kenshin went to chase the berserk cat. Nekori sprang into the road just in time for a car to pass by.

It was like time had stopped for Kaoru. The other women screamed. The men could only watch. She went white and yelled, "Kenshin! Look out!"

But it was too late. While the cat was unscathed, Kenshin was curled up on the middle of the road, moaning. Kaoru rushed forward as everyone stood, stunned. The car had stopped and the driver got out, frantic.

"I'm—I'm sorry! Really I am!" he stammered out. Kaoru held up her hand as she knelt beside Kenshin.

"The least anyone could do is to get him onto your car sir," she said in tears, trying to be calm. "Please. He needs to go to the hospital." To Kenshin, she asked, "Are you all right? Where does it hurt?"

"Damn… my chest hurts…" Kenshin groaned out. "It feels… ouch… like my ribs are bruised… Otherwise, I'm okay…" He tried to stand up, but Kaoru restrained him.

"Lie down!" she said fiercely through her tears. "You just got hit by a car, dammit! How could you try to stand up now?"

"Kaoru, I'm fine," Kenshin said, trying to sound as if he were. "Stop worrying and dry your tears, okay?" He gave her a weak but proud smile as he tried getting up again, but Sano restrained him this time.

"Kenshin, I know it doesn't hurt much," he said. "We're doing this as a safety precaution."

He's using psychology! Kaoru realized. He knows Kenshin's pride… Kenshin nodded and allowed Sano, Soujiro, and Akira to carry him.

Misao and Aoshi tried getting the cat out of the neighbor's tree, where it had taken refuge. Sano, Soujiro, and Akira carried Kenshin up onto the car. Megumi instructed them on how he was to be held. Tomoe found her purse. Ayane called the hospital to inform them of the emergency.

"It's all right," she was saying. "We can manage. We have a trained doctor and a car to get him there."

Everyone was thankful that the car was large enough for Kenshin to stretch out and for someone to look after him. Megumi volunteered.

"I'm the doctor here, after all," she said as Sano handed her medicine kit to her. "Why don't you guys follow in our car?"

The two cars sped to the hospital. "Kaoru-bachan?" Ayame asked, worry written all over her face.

"Yes, Ayame-chan?"

"Is Ken-nii going to be okay?"

Kaoru nodded. "Yes he will be. Your okaa-san is a very talented doctor. She will heal him."

Ayame smiled. "That's good. After that, he'll play with us again."

Kaoru sunk into her own thoughts. Somehow, she herself doubted her words.

Oh, Kenshin, Kaoru thought, please be okay. Oh let this be not too serious…

TBC…

Sorta short, isn't it? But I think this chapter and the next shouldn't be in one. I'll get the next chapter done as soon as I can.

You really can't imagine Soujiro calling Sano Sanosuke-nii, huh? It's not like anyone made them brothers before, from what I can see...

Thanks to those people who are going to review! I really appreciate those kind souls!