All credit for the idea of this chapter goes to Cedahlia because I was just looking over the reviews for this story and it kind of sounded fun to write about what she suggested. Thank you for your idea!

Chapter Three: Mr. and Mrs. Himura??

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After a few days of relative normalcy (mostly on the fact that I hid from Kaoru-dono every chance I got), most of the incidents from previous days had been more or less forgotten, much to my great relief. Sessha was especially worried that Kaoru-dono would be very angry, but she seemed only slightly fazed about all that had happened. Sessha's Battousai tried to convince him that maybe she actually like his unwarranted advances, but sessha wasn't fooled. There is no way that Kaoru-dono could actually feel anything for me, especially with the horribly impolite way I have been acting lately.

Fate, though, is an interestingly beautiful, but horribly cruel creature, I soon discovered. The summer was stifling and Kaoru-dono, Yahiko and myself were all very tired out from the intense heat wave that had landed on Tokyo. So, Kaoru-dono being the somewhat temperamental, spontaneous person that she was had decided to plan an entire relaxing, peaceful vacation for the whole group.

At first sessha disapproved of this idea because:

1: Vacations are expensive

2: Kaoru-dono has little money to spare

3: Vacations always meant trouble if you were an anime character. You can never EVER have a peaceful vacation without something happening.

Kaoru-dono argued back with:

1: She can spend her money on whatever she damn wants (she was kind of angry .)

2: Money's no good if you don't do something fun with it

3: We don't know we're anime characters so we can't possible know that this is going to end in trouble

Well Kaoru-dono was always quite a persuasive person (not to mention intimidating) so her logic ultimately won out over mine. And this is where the trouble all began.

First it was decided that we would ask Sanosuke if he would like to join us. That plan failed because as soon as he discovered that we would be riding a train to our destination he high-tailed it outta there saying he had some unfinished business to attend to. Secondly we asked Miss Megumi if she would like to occupy us, but she got called away at the last minute to attend to a outbreak of strange fevers.

So it was decided that it would be us three, Kaoru-dono, Yahiko, and sessha, but then yet again were our plans thwarted. Upon announcing our decision to go on vacation to the boy he let out a loud groan and asked us why we hadn't asked him a couple hours early when he hadn't promised to work with Tsubame for the next few weeks at the Aka Beko. And so I seemed that we would not be going on vacation, at least in my mind. Unfortunately Kaoru had had other ideas.

"Oh come on, Kenshin! We can go, you and me. It will be fun. I don't want to give up on this idea." She had pleaded me with those beautiful doe eyes that I loved to get lost into so much.

Oh course, sessha had cracked. I knew how much trouble I was likely to get into, especially since we would be alone together the entire time, but there was something in her eyes as she stared up at me that just made me shiver. It was like she actually just wanted to be alone with me…sessha…be with me instead of going on vacation. And so I had agreed knowing I had just practically committed suicide. And what bothered me most out of this whole deal was that all of them, Miss Megumi, Sanosuke and even Yahiko had convenient excuses not to come…a little too convenient really.

The next day Kaoru-dono and I sat on the train on our way to Yokohama seeking relief from the long hard days of summer. The compartment we were seated in was very private (a little too private for my tastes) and looked like it had been rather expensive.

"Kaoru-dono…if I may ask…how much did this cost? It looks expensive." I remember asking as I tried not to pay too much attention to her inescapable beauty.

Kaoru-dono frowned. "Kenshin! We're on vacation now! We're not supposed to be worrying about money. Besides…this was actually a gift…of sorts…"

Now it was sessha's turn to frown. Someone giving her gifts…someone other than me?! "Gift?" I asked subtly trying not to sound suspicious or overly curious.

My frown deepened as a light blush covered her pale smooth cheeks. "Uh…nothing…" she said with a laugh and waved away my question. I let her get away with it that time, but I was intensely curious…

The train ride was mostly uneventful. I found myself staring at her halfway through the ride. It was just so hard not to. She looked so beautiful and young as she stared out the window excitedly and went on with her idle chatter. Just watching her made me feel so much more at ease and somehow I felt more alive instead. She had that way of bringing that out in me, that wildness that always occupies the recklessness of youth.

When we arrived, she jumped excitedly out of the train, her hand gently interlacing with mine as she pulled me along. I couldn't help but blush. I felt so lucky. I was holding hands with the most beautiful woman in the world. I let some of my guilt go then, I admit, and resigned myself to having a good time. After all, I don't know that everything will always go wrong!

"C'mon let's go check into our hotel and then we can go sightseeing!" Kaoru-dono announced excitedly to me as we (really just me) lugged our bags out onto the platform.

The platform was crowded with all sorts of richly dressed people and sessha felt a little nervous, especially considering the fact that I was worrying most of the time that Kaoru-dono would get too anxious and bound ahead of me into the mass of the crowd. She always a feisty one, that girl. Ah yes, but now I've begun to ramble.

As we walked down the streets Kaoru-dono gapped at all the fancy western style houses that only the rich entrepreneurs could dare to dream of owning. Our hotel was not far away and I began to really wonder where the money for this trip was coming from. It wasn't necessarily the grandest hotel, but it wasn't a total hovel either.

We entered the tall wooden building and I proceeded up to the front desk where a young man sat impatiently tapping his fingers on its surface. When he noticed us in front of him he straightened and blushed, putting a big (fake) smile on his face.

"Welcome. How may I help you?" he asked politely, but I could tell his voice was strained.

"We require two rooms please, sir." I responded naturally, setting our bags down in a heap by the desk, my arms nearly falling off from carrying the weight of them all.

The man sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation before he bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, sir, we only have one room available at this time. This is a very busy time of the year and almost all the hotels are booked up full. "

Someone must hate me or maybe I just did something really horrible in a past life. Either way, I'm sure I couldn't really have deserved this torture.

"What?" I exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm sure one room is fine Kenshin. You'll just sleep on the floor or something!" Kaoru suggested cheerfully, one of her hands resting on my shoulder. I blushed deeply as the man gave us a strange look. Gently I took Kaoru aside. She is so innocent and naïve!

"Kaoru-dono, do you know the implications of us sharing room?" I asked carefully, trying not to sound like I was angry at her.

Kaoru-dono blushed at first but then she looked up at me guilty. "Um…Kenshin…."

I knew from that moment I was doomed. "Yes, Kaoru-dono?"

She looked away from me as she played uncomfortably with a string of her long ebony hair. "…Umm…We kind of don't have enough money to stay anywhere else."

"What?!" I exclaimed and my eyes went wide. We were both blushing at this point and I wasn't so much annoyed at Kaoru-dono as I was aggravated at our lack of sufficient funds. That was another one of my shortcomings I guess.

"Well…" I said, mustering up my best smile, "Sessha shall protect Kaoru-dono's honor and sleep outside tonight!" I said, even though I knew it was a ridiculous idea. What else could I suggest? I mean really! Give me a break, I'm just a guy trying to get through life, repenting his sins, not creating new ones!

Kaoru-dono frowned deeply. "No, Kenshin! I don't want you to do that. Kami-sama! We're here to have a good time, not be forced out in the cold. I think I have an idea…" she began, but she broke off her sentence and blushed heavily.

"Yes, Kaoru-dono? What is it?" I asked curiously.

Kaoru coughed and then said quietly. "If we pretended to be husband and wife…then people wouldn't think it would be so strange."

I think I blushed brighter than I had ever blushed before. "But…Kaoru-dono!" I stuttered.

"That's it! It's settled! I don't want you sleeping outside tonight!" Kaoru-dono said decisively as she pulled me by the arm back to the desk.

"My husband and I would like to request that room you have left, sir!"

A/N: Hehe. I love being evil to Kenshin. Anyway, the idea to have them pretend to be married was kind of my idea because otherwise Kaoru would be considered some kind of slut sleeping in the same room as Kenshin, no matter how virtuous Kenshin and Kaoru really are.