Author's Note: I edited and CrypticMaidenRK wrote. She's been making me edit and not letting me write! Grr… lol –CrismHeart

Disclaimer: Neither of us own Rurouni Kenshin. Watsuki-sama is the rightful owner, so please don't sue!

Summary: This one shot is based on one of those poem e-mails, hehe. Love unrequited can be painful, but it's finally time to do things right. Kenshin and Kaoru are best friends and while Kaoru loves Kenshin, she is afraid that he won't feel the same way, but it's the last day of college and the last chance for her to confess her feelings.

His Words
By: Espiritus

Love

A girl asked a guy if he thought she was pretty. He said... no.

She looked at him and smiled while a gentle zephyr blew across her face. She closed her eyes and leaned her back against the old oak tree. It was springtime and everything was green and alive.

She let out a small sigh and opened her eyes again, sneaking a glance at the man by her side once more. He was looking at her and she had been caught. A warm blush crept across her face, but still, she smiled as she turned away so that was no longer facing him.

The campus was beautiful. It was a small university, but the extensive lawns and high-quality education was something that could not have been passed up. She looked back at the boy who still watched her. Light flickered between the leaves, making the whole scenery look heavenly.

"Kenshin, I can't believe this is our last day here." she commented.

The boy did not answer her.

She silently lowered her head. She was use to his stoic behavior. She had meet the red-haired god her first month on campus, and she had instantly fallen for him...hard. Love was a new experience to her, and when she finally admitted to herself that she loved man standing across from her… she thought back to when she first thought she loved him. Though she could not pinpoint the exact time, she guessed that it was around the time he first said hello to her.

They had been friends for so long. In fact, he was her best friend, the man she entrusted everything to. Never had she loved someone until he had shown up in her life, and he only thought of her as a friend. Her friend, Misao, once said that a friend was better than nothing, but she still felt the pain that came with unrequited love.

Another breeze flew by. Distantly, she could hear some chimes come from a nearby dorm complex. She still felt his eyes on her. What was he looking at?

She frowned. "Kenshin, do I have something on my face?"

He did not look startled in the slightest; he did not even look sad that this was his last day in the university.

Maybe she would never see him again? Is that what he wanted?

She looked at him closer and was startled to find something different about his eyes. The normally violet orbs contained a hint of gold and he looked almost determined, but what was he determined about?

"Why would you say that Kaoru?" He asked as if she always found him staring at her.

She wanted to let out a frustrated sigh, but held back. He could be so infuriating at times.

"Because you have been staring at me for the past five minutes."

He looked at her and then shrugged, but she kept looking at his turned face.Was it her or did she see a flash of hurt in his eyes.

Why?

This man drove her insane. She had to know. She had to know if he had felt anything for her, ever. Sometimes, she would feel as if he only had eyes for her, but then in the next moment he was dating another girl, more beautiful than she would ever be.

Closing her sapphire eyes and twirling a raven strand of hair around her finger, she took a deep breath, only to find Kenshin staring at her when she opened her eyes again. He unnerved her, but she had to ask him.

"Kenshin, do you think I'm attractive?" Although she had mumbled out the words, the contracting of his eyes told her that he comprehended every humiliating word she had just uttered.

It was quiet— and then he slowly shook his head. "Not in the slightest."

She asked him if he would want to be with her forever… and he said no.

Tears pushed at her eyes. His words were cold and cruel, but she had to go on no matter how much it hurt. He may have thought her ugly and plain, but he was her best friend, and friends stuck around for each other. Maybe he would stay with her if only for her friendship.

She asked him if he would want to be with her forever...

Swallowing her pride, she managed not to cry and looked up steadily at him. His eyes were so distant... almost remorseful.

"Kenshin would you want to be with me forever?"

He did not look at her, but she heard the words well enough.

...and he said no.

"No thanks."

His words stabbed at her heart. Her breath was stolen from her. Clenching her fist, she backed up against the tree, hoping for strength to go on— hoping to stay calm. Anger pulsed through her veins; at least she had her feelings, her control. As a friend, she thought, he could have told her lightly and let her down slowly, but no, not him. He had to be cruel and indifferent. It was just like him to be this way.

Letting out a frustrated cry, she wondered if this friend of hers would even cry, or even care if she left and never spoke to him again. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out…

She then asked him if she were to leave would he cry.

"Kenshin, would you even care if I went? Would you even cry for a lost friend?"

And once again he replied with a no.

"There would be no need." He shrugged looking at her, smiling a little. "I do have other friends, besides you are not my friend, Kaoru."

She had heard enough.
As she walked away, tears were streaming down her face.

Her eyes widened and she lowered her head quickly. He had played her for a fool all these years, and she had been naive enough to follow him. Her heart felt as though it had stopped beating and for a second she could not breathe. Her vision became distorted, and her hands shook with rage. Sorrow, thatwould come later. For now, angry tears rolled down her face.

Looking at his smiling face, she wanted to slap him, but she did nothing. A slap would be too good for him. The pain was gaining in her heart, lessening her rage, but she had to hold on for a bit longer.

"Then, Himura-san, I must say good bye."

Her back straightened and she turned as her tears rushed down her face faster and faster. This was her final good bye. Love was only for fools, and she would be damned if she ever would fall for its heart-wrenching games again.

Kaoru never saw Kenshin face twist in agony when she called him by his last name, nor did she see the terrified look cross his face when she said her final farewell. Kenshin did not wait one second longer...

The boy grabbed her arm and said...

"Kaoru." He pulled her to him, but she struggled. What did he want now?

Why was he hugging her? His arms were so strong around her. It felt so right to be in his arms that she started cry harder, burying her face into his collared shirt.

"Why, Kenshin?"

She pleaded into his chest. Kenshin closed his eyes. He messed up badly; he had not wanted this to go the way it had. He had waited for years to tell her, but he never had the chance, and because of his stupidity he almost lost her...maybe it was too late. Wrapping his arms tighter around her, he heard her whisper and felt her tears.

He had been harsh and coldhearted. Maybe it had been out of fear, or maybe it was because he had never been known to be a romantic person.

"Kaoru, please look at me." He touched her cheek, lifting her face gently to look at him.

She turned her face.

You're not pretty, you're beautiful.

"Kaoru, you're not attractive, you're beautiful."

Kaoru's head snapped towards him. Her tears came to a stop. Her eyes flashed for a second before she saw his beautiful orbs; they were so clear and exquisite and held something in them that made her heart begin to beat again. She felt it thumping against her chest, and a yearning rose within her. Why was she having all these emotions? Wasn't she supposed to be mad at him?

Kenshin moved his hands up and down her back and she felt her body slump against him. He was so warm...so right. She felt him cup her face and before she could look at him his lips were upon hers. Her eyes opened in shock and she let out a moan of surprise and pure bliss. It was more thantorture. His tongue probed on her lips and she complied by opening her mouth ever so slightly. Once again she was swept away with new emotions.

Her body became weak as Kenshin's mouth caressed hers gently, hungrily, as if he had wanted her lips on his forever. Suddenly, he pulled back and kissed her cheeks and moved down her neck. It felt so good that she put her arms around him and pulled him closer.

I don't want to be with you forever.

"Kaoru..." His voice was husky.

Kaoru's vision slowly came back to her, but she could not utter a single word. Instead, she nuzzled her face into his neck and nodded. His hand still stroked her back. How did he expect her to talk after what had just happened?

I NEED to be with you forever!

"I don't want to be with you forever." Her hands loosened around him as his own hold tightened around her.

"I need to be with you forever."

Kaoru's hand moved to cover her mouth as she let out a sob; it was as if her dreams were coming true after a horrible nightmare. "But, Kenshin, what about what you said earlier?"

"My Only, I was a fool." Kenshin pulled her back to him once again as if he needed her desperately as she needed him. To her, he was her other half, the only person who could make her whole.

And I wouldn't cry if you walked away...
I'd die...

"And to answer your last question..." Kenshin stated as he looked at her with so much love that Kaoru's heart fluttered. "I would not cry if you left, I would die."

Before she could say anything more, his lips were on hers in a final promise— that he would never let go.

And she knew that she was not his friend because…

She was something more.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review! We love feedback!

Espiritus