parts. I just realized that chapter 7 was way too LONG! If I was reading that I
would've fallen asleep! So I made it into two parts! So yeah…enjoy this chapter if
you haven't read it already!
~*~*~*~*~ Us After This ~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 8: Shinta
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~…~ = Thoughts
"…"= Speaking
~*~*~*~*~*~*~Previous Chapter~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"RUN KENSHIN! Don't come back!" he shouted.
Kenshin broke into a run. Misao's eyes opened with anger as she finally broke out of her boyfriends hold but didn't run. She turned around and slaps Aoshi directly on the face.
"How could you Aoshi?" Misao cried as she gently rubs his face where she just slapped him.
He only opened his arms to her and she cried harder.
"I'm so sorry Aoshi…" she said as she collapsed onto the floor, sobbing.
Aoshi came over and held her as she cried harder.
~*~
An hour has passed and Kaoru's tears finally subsided as she fell asleep from exhaustion. Sano held the sleeping girl gently in his arms as he gazed at her with sympathy. He puts Kaoru on the bed and pulls the blanket over her petite body.
"Of all the people…why does she have to suffer most?" he murmured silently as he closed the door while leaving.
Sano walked outside and saw his girlfriend sitting on the silent chair singing to herself. He takes a deep breath as he approached to her with fear clinging onto him with each step.
"Megumi? Are you okay?" Sano whispered gently to the quiet girlfriend while gently tapping her shoulder.
Megumi stopped singing and looked up to Sano's face. Her head looked down as she silently cries.
"Megumi…" Sano whispered to her and bends down to her.
Megumi immediately threw her arms around him and cried harder.
"Kaoru…doesn't deserve any of this…she has gone through so much…from losing her parents…to losing her happiness…and now her eyesight. Why doesn't this happen to me? I'd rather have myself go through Kaoru's pain rather that watching her suffer, Sano! Why!?" Megumi sobbed loudly.
"Don't blame yourself, Megumi, Kaoru wouldn't want that. None of us would. We'll just have to spend time with Kaoru as much as possible before her blindness becomes permanent, ok?" Sano said softly while embracing Megumi.
"How much time left?" she asked him.
"About an hour…" Sano replied.
Sano felt Megumi's back tense up as she began to cry more, he could only hold her tighter and wish that pain would just go away.
Down the hallway Sano and Megumi heard footsteps approaching, one tall and one small figure. Aoshi and Misao came into view. Misao's eyes were red and puffy from all the crying and Aoshi held a solemn face. Sano stood up in front of everyone with a plan.
"Put your happy faces on because we're going to see Kaoru everyone!" he announced.
~*~
Kenshin ran out of the hospital as soon as possible and he ran down the street to school. He finally reached the student parking lot, opened his car door, and climb inside. He was tired and panting hard but the pain didn't matter: Kaoru did.
~ One of her friends would've just killed me back then and I would've allowed her too! What's wrong with me!?~
Kenshin stuck his key into the ignition and started the car. He drove passed all the house and avoiding going to the street where Kaoru was hurts just hours ago. The car zoomed quickly and Kenshin narrowly avoided a collision. He drove for 5 minutes and reached the park. He got the car and walked around the park silently by himself and he glanced at his watch.
~Only one hour left for Kaoru…~
Tears trickled down Kenshin's face and he seated himself on a bench.
"It's not your fault Kenshin…it's Kaoru's…yeah…it's her fault…she jumped out so I didn't do anything…not my fault," Kenshin whispered to himself while looking at the floor.
~Liar…Kaoru jumped out to protect you…and it's not your fault!? Misao was right!~
Kenshin let out a huge sigh, lay on the bench, and gazed into the dark sky. It was 9 at night already...Kenshin soon fell asleep.
~*~
Sano, Misao, Aoshi, and Megumi approached Kaoru's room and all attempted to put on a smile.
"Not like it will matter…Kaoru won't be able to see our faces…" Misao said unhappily.
Megumi's eyes sparked up and she smacked Misao on the head.
"Just shut up!" she shouted.
Sano smiled and opens Kaoru's door.
"HELLO KAORU!" everyone shouted happily to her.
"Hello everyone!!!" Kaoru replied happily on her bed.
Everyone stayed quiet for a moment surprised at how Kaoru's personality changed so fast.
"Why is everyone quiet?" Kaoru asked with a worried tone.
"Oh…uh…that's because we're happy to see you! Shocked to see you!" Misao beamed out quickly.
"Yeah…happy to see that annoying face of yours, little raccoon. Ohohoho!" Megumi laughed out while choking Sano with one arm.
"Can't breathe Megumi…honey…you're choking me!" Sano squeaked out while turning blue.
Megumi continued to laugh, oblivious to hearing Sano's silent pleas.
"Megumi…your boyfriend fainted," Aoshi said aloud.
"Ohohohohoho—huh?" she stopped and moved her arm off Sano's neck.
Sano fell down quickly with a loud thud. Megumi lets out a loud gasp and ran to Sano.
"Oh Sano!? What happened to you!?" Megumi shouted with dramatic voice.
Sano hand moved up to Megumi's cheek and Megumi bend down to hear what he was saying.
"Dumb fox! You were suffocating me!" he shouted loudly into her ear.
Megumi, Kaoru, Misao, and Aoshi stood with wide eyes. Megumi eyes twitched at what he said.
"Dumb fox…?" Megumi repeated to herself.
"…uh oh…" Sano began to back away into the corner.
How dare you say that stupid rooster!" Megumi screamed loudly while holding Sano's collar white shirt with both her hands and repeated shook it back and forth.
"Megumi—ow—I'm sorry—ow—I surrender! OW!" Sano said while his head collided to the wall.
"You better be…" Megumi warned and dropped him on the floor like a ton of bricks.
Everyone began to laugh hard as they heard Sano said something no one thought they would ever hear, "Mommy…Megumi hit me…"
Sano collapsed to the floor and Aoshi picked him up.
"Girls…we have to leave now. The hospital will be kicking us out soon enough. We'll see you tomorrow Kaoru," Aoshi said to everyone.
"Bye Kaoru…we'll see you tomorrow!" Misao cried while heading out.
"Little raccoon…get as much rest as possible okay? We don't want to you to look ugly tomorrow!" Megumi said while leaving.
"Okay…I'll rest right now! Bye guys!" Kaoru said while waving goodbye in her bed.
The door finally closed and the room felt dark once again. Loneliness floated around the air as Kaoru's face turned sad.
"I'm alone once again," she whispered to herself before crying.
She reached over to the alarm clocked and pushed a button.
"It's 9:40 p.m. it's 9:40 p.m. It's…"
Kaoru turned off the alarm and curled herself into a ball and cried to herself.
"Only 20 more minutes to save myself from being blind…why won't time let me just get it over with!?" Kaoru she cried silently.
~*~
Kenshin woke up from the park but made no noise. His eyes were silver and held a passionless face. He stood up against the wind and went into his car. The engine roared and the car zoomed off fast.
~*~
Kaoru's tear subsided and she began to get frustrated with herself.
"Why am I crying!? You did this to yourself! Get it over with!" she cried frustrated with herself.
~But why does everything have to happen to me?~
"You did what to yourself?" a soft voice flowed and echo through the whole room.
Kaoru's anger stopped as she began focus to whom said that.
"Who's there!?" she shouted through the whole room.
The stranger who was standing at the doorway moved slowly towards Kaoru's bed and sat down. Kaoru felt a hand touch her face and she furiously pushed it away.
"Get away! Who are you!?" she yelled out and moved her arms around her hoping for protection.
"Shh…you don't want the hospital to kick me out and leave you alone right?" the voice gently replies while shushing her.
Kaoru stopped screaming and relaxed, she faced herself to the mysterious stranger.
"There, all better right? I'm here to visit a friend of mines who's at this hospital. While passing by I saw you crying and noticed that you might need someone around to keep you company. So that's when I came in…man…I didn't know that you'll react with such activeness at the stage you're in right now, that I don't!" he chuckled but in was cut off by a punch to his face.
"Shut up…" Kaoru said quickly on her bed.
"Oro...!" he screamed out loud before falling.
Kaoru's eyes snapped opened with curiosity.
"Did you just 'oro'?" Kaoru giggled out.
"Sorry…it's a habit…I do hope it doesn't annoy you, that I do…" the stranger replied back.
"Oh no, it doesn't annoy me. In fact, it's quite cute!" Kaoru spoke out truthfully and quickly closed her mouth.
"Heh…oops…sorry…" she said while blushing, she could picture what an idiot she looks like right now.
"Ahem…anyways…like what I asked before…what did you do to yourself?" the soft voice asked to Kaoru.
Kaoru narrowed her eyes to face her bed.
"You see…this enemy of mines…planned a revenge against me by toying with my feelings …I got really angry. I heard this plan to take him down so even though I hated him…I risked my life to save him," Kaoru said quietly.
"I see…" the voice replied with interest.
"But I don't know if I did the right thing…I don't know why I reacted like that. I hated his guts so much! And yet I couldn't let him die. Why?" Kaoru said unhappily.
"Maybe because you don't want people close to you to die…"
"Yeah…maybe…" Kaoru agreed she was about to continue speaking until she choked frightening the stranger.
"W…wat…water!" she gasped out while grasping the blanket on the bed and breathe for air.
The person that was sitting next to her ran towards his bag, Kaoru could hear him rummaging through it.
"Here…I made it for my friend…but then you look like you need it, so drink it!" the stranger hurriedly pour the drink into a cup and handed it to Kaoru.
Kaoru gratefully took the cup and gulped down its contents. She felt the sweet cool water flow through her mouth and into her stomach. Soon she felt refreshed.
"Wow…what was that? I feel so much better! Thank you!" Kaoru said energetically.
"That's just something I made…"
"Better not be poison…"
"I don't think so, that I do."
Kaoru's eyes dropped down as she reached over the bed to the alarm clock.
"It's 10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m.…"
Kaoru let's out a sigh.
~Times up…hope's gone…~
"What wrong?"
"Oh nothing…it's just that I lost all hope of regaining my eyesight," Kaoru replied like it didn't matter.
"What!?" the voice shouted and she looked up with surprise.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked with concern.
"You should never lose hope! Even though there's a very slim chance left…you should never give up, that I believe!" and with that he slammed his fist on Kaoru's bed.
Kaoru's let's out a scream. She let the words sink into her heart as she gave her heartwarming smile to the very mysterious stranger.
"Oro…what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing…you've just given me new hope. However it's quite small…" Kaoru said with sadness.
A warm hand lifted her face up as she felt his breath closely breathing onto her.
"As long as YOU have that hope, miracles will bound to happen," he said gently to her while brushing a few strands on hair from her face.
Kaoru's heart opened as she found her newborn hope.
"Thank you…" she whispered.
"I have to go now…"
Kaoru's face fell. She felt his strong, warm hands retreat from her face. She heard footsteps heading towards out the door and felt alone once again.
"But I'll be back tomorrow…to see you…to keep you company…how about that?"
Kaoru's face showered with happiness, "You will!? Oh thank you!"
"Uh…what's your name?"
"My name is Kao--AH!"
Kaoru fell off her bed while looking for her blanket.
~That was stupid…asking a STRANGER whom you barely knew to keep you company…by the way what a smart move you just made Kaoru…~
Kaoru waited for her body to make contact with the floor but she felt herself not moving from her spot.
"Huh? What happened?" Kaoru said dumbfounded as she felt warmth flow throughout her whole body.
"I asked what your name was and you fell…I caught you though so don't worry," the voice replied.
Kaoru blushed bright red as she felt him pick her up and put her on the hospital bed. He gently picks up the blanket on the floor and covers Kaoru with it.
"My name is Kaoru…Kaoru Kamiya…" she said while he was tucking her to sleep on the bed.
The stranger was done tucking her in and he let her name slip into his mind.
"What a beautiful name…Kaoru…" he breathed out making time stop for quite some time.
"I'll see you same time tomorrow night?" she asked with curiosity.
He headed towards the door and felt Kaoru's gaze upon him.
"Definitely…" he replied as he held the doorknob.
"Oh yeah…what's your name?" Kaoru asked quickly before he left.
"My name…is Shinta…" he said and gently closes the door.
~*~
Kaoru didn't feel lonely this time after someone left. Instead the room was filled with warmth and happiness. The cologne of the stranger remained inside leaving her feeling comforted. She smiled to herself as she drifted off to sleep.
"…Shinta…thank you…" she whispered into the warm air and fell asleep.
~*~
Shinta headed towards his car and accidentally bumped someone to the floor. He gently picks the angry person.
"I'm sorry, that I am…" he apologized to the furious woman.
"Whatever…stupid kids and their winter vacations…I wish that never existed…" she mumbled to herself.
Shinta smiled, enters into the car, and drove away. The fat woman stood and watched.
"What a weird kid…can't blame him since he does look weird himself…it's not everyday you see someone with red hair and a cross-shaped scar on their face…" she snorted out.
~*~
Gak-ness! I'm sorry for not updating so far! I'm so sorry! Don't worry though!
Chapter 9 is on its way. Coming in April! So don't worry! And if haven't read my
other fics go and read it! "Royal Past" is a pretty good one so far so is "Silent
Heart" so check those out for the time being! I'll update all those fics of mines soon
so don't worry! Thanks all of my beautiful readers! Bye! REVIEW!!!
Thanks a lot to:
Destroyer-Zako- for putting this story as one of your favorites!
Magenta2- for putting this story as one of your favorites!
Syren888- for putting me as your favorite author!
The evil witch- for putting me as your favorite author!
Niccw55- for putting this story as one of your favorites!
Tiaravball15- for putting this story as one of your favorites!
Reviews Responses:
Niccw55- Thank you for reviewing my story! I'm very happy that you enjoyed it!
Obsessed fan- Okay, don't cry…I updated the story! See? Yes…I love being evil! Muahahaha!
Silver Goddess1 – Glad you liked it! It makes me happy to write to make you happy!
Tennisnooujisama- I won't stop writing don't worry, as long as you review and read this fic then I won't give up on it!
XXkenshinlubrXx- Wow…that's the first time someone actually said my fic is funny! I'm really honored to hear that. I'm glad you're into my fic right now!
Sonia- Glad you think my last chapter was great! Hopefully you feel the same with this chapter too!
The evil witch- Yes…Kenshin is mean to Kaoru. But don't worry…things will change in the end. Oh yeah…thanks a lot for reviewing most of my chapters! Lotsa love for you!
Tiaravball15- Uh…thanks for that "threat" it really got me working on this fic as soon as possible. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Kimiko5- Yes I will continue this story till the end. I don't know how long it will take but I will finish it! I'm glad you think my fic has a lot potential! Thank you!
MellyssiaVang- I'm very happy that you enjoyed my fic! THANK YOU!
And thanks all of you other people for reviewing! I love all of you! Review please!