Disclaimer: oh…boy…look…I've been writing disclaimers for this fic for about eight times…. I know no one is forcing me to do so but I can't help it. Even though I'm really really tired of writing this …I just have to write it over and over again because someone with a lawyer might sue me! I really can't mess up my records with a lawsuit right now cause I am up for a job in my dream country. If someone would destroy my dream and sue me…now that would just suck! So I have to write this over and over again for as long as I'm going to write fanfics…(sigh) makes you wanna kill some one…okay…I dun own Rk. (finally)

Author's note: that's really nice of you guys to cheer me on. Yes! I have the burning determination of an avid fan who really wants to see Westlife in concert. YES! You guys have truly motivated me to continue with my senseless blabber and this fanfic! I just wish that you'd review some more…cause when you guys review my work, I get to have that feeling of contentment and delight that someone out there is actually reading my worthless scribbles and ideas. I guess the reviews you give stand as the salary for all my hard work. Please review! Oh yeah… just so you guys know…this fic would finish soon. I think about one or two more chaps and this one's finish. So please be patient…thank you!

Oh yeah…and anamoriel…I'm sorry if I bothered you with my annoying notes… but you have to understand that I need to put that in as a part of my expression… You have to understand that I'm an annoying little girl with annoying author's notes! Without it… I'm just an annoying little girl! I can't live like that! That's against my philosophy which is to be annoying… and it would make my fic sound like an ordinary fic. But I am sorry about it though… I'll at least try to shut my mouth …as much as I like to be annoying, I also want to satisfy people whom I feel are most worthy of being satisfied. Okay…I'll shut up now…please read!

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CHAPTER IX: KIMONO WEDDING?

"What are you saying? Why would I wanna ruin such a perfect wedding…" Francis bowed his head to hide his dimming face. He just had to say it; act like there was actually nothing to worry about. But his eyes were overflowing rivers of tears seemingly expressing disagreement to what his lips just uttered.

"I was right he is a damn coward…" Sano thought. "Are you sure you're gonna let your girl get married to some guy she didn't really love?" he asked with a pokerfaced expression hoping to stimulate some kind of grudge in the young man that would eventually convince him to try and stop the wedding. After all…it was all that he needs to happen to win the deal with his foreign friend.

Francis stopped. It was like something ignited in his veins. It was all his fault that his Christine is going to marry someone she does not love. She was doing this to get even with him and make him feel sorry… but all that revenge will ruin her life. Her revenge may be sweet but the life that she will live afterwards, in the arms of a man she doesn't love, is something that she would regret for her entire lifetime. And it would all be his fault…for running away from his commitment…for ditching his most beloved woman on their wedding day. But what was he to do? He didn't have the courage to exchange vows and tie the knot back then but as they say… you don't miss the water until it's gone… in this situation…he was in the middle of the desert…no water and his only oasis is seeing his beloved woman happy in the arms of a man worthy of her…but it all turned out to be a mirage…a big lie that only existed in the heart of a vengeful soul…a wounded vengeful soul… "She does -not –love- this-man?" he turned to ask the stranger but he was surprised to see him gone…

Francis took what the stranger told him and stood up. "She doesn't love the man…" was his last words before he went on his way and left his spot.

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Meanwhile, from above, up on a tree, Sano pants while hanging on a piece of loose branch. "PHEW! I thought he was never going to leave" He wiped off his forehead

"Creeeeek" it was the branch…it is slowly breaking off from the tree

"Uh-oh…." He said before the branch completely gave in "CRACK!" and it fell off

"AHHHHH!" he shouted before he landed on his butt. "A-ta-ta-ta!" he said while rubbing his butt. "Man! That hurts! Stupid tree!" he said shaking his fist furiously at the tree that dare to drop him like that.

"TOINK!" a fruit feel on Sano's head "OUCH! You wanna piece of me ha!" he shouted as he jabbed the tree with his fist. "DAMN Y-"

"Why are you talking to a tree?" Yahiko asked him

"Wha-wha-whatareyoutalkinabout? I ain't talking to no tree! I…I ...I was just practicing my moves…see?" he showed the boy some punches and went back to his foe…(A/N: oh yes…the stinkin' tree)

"Seriously Sano…you really gotta lay it down with your wedding thing. I think it's driving you nuts." The kid commented on his actions

"What are you saying?! You're just a kid…you dunno anything about marriages and stuff. This has nothing to do with what's really bothering me." Sano punched the tree with his fist.

"Aha! So you do have a problem!" Yahiko shouted and pointed his finger at the dumbfounded guy.

"Why did I just blurt that out? I'm really a moron!" he mentally slapped and scolded himself for revealing this to the little tattletale. Now that he knows…it would only take a little time before the whole country knows about it.

"You're afraid of commitment aren't you? Huh? Sano?" Yahiko asked while spontaneously raising his eyebrow

"Get outta here!" Sano shouted as he hit the tree again. This time, the tree shook and started to lean backwards…most of its leaves falls off like a lady taking off his fur coat.

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Kyoto Is enveloped in darkness as night quickly falls and in the Dojo…

"Dinner is served!" Kaoru euphorically distributed the bowls and chopsticks.

"WOW BUSU!" exclaimed the Dojo's little boy…"this actually smells like something edible!"

"Well, actually, Kenshin helped a lot with – WAIT A MINUTE!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN BUSU!!!!! " Kaoru shouted while strangling the little kid

"Calm down Kaoru please!" Kenshin begged his overexcited girl

Kaoru, realizing that they're dining with a very special guest calm down and went back to distributing dinner and said "Yahiko, you'll be the one to clean the Dojo tomorrow!"

"What! But tomorrow's the wedding! Grrr! You can't do this to me! I DEMAND YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" the little kid retaliated

"Sorry…but that's what I said…that's what you get for being Ungrateful!"

After having dinner, Kaoru and Kenshin cleaned up while Yahiko went to clean the dojo (A/N: so that he won't have to clean it tomorrow he-he)

Sano and Christine sat on the porch …

"I saw him this afternoon," Sano told Christine

"You saw who Sano?" she asked as she leaned forward bearing her innocent and pure expression

"What are you talking about? You know, pretty much, who I saw. You saw him too. Right?" he said sarcastically

"Ohh…Francine…did you talk to him? What did he say? What did you tell him? Does he know we're faking it?" she asked in a spontaneous flow of words

"We didn't talk long. He looked really scared of me though. I had to motivate him a bit to run the plan perfectly tomorrow" Sano shook his head "is he really that chip of a coward?"

Christine sighed "Thank goodness. I was worried. I nearly thought that he's never come." She held her chest and closed her eyes. "Thanks for helping me out Sano…you're the best."

Sano brushed up his hair and smiled "no sweat! You've become like a sister to me"

"Re-really? That's awful sweet of you Sano" Christine sniffed and sobbed

"Hey! Hey! Wait! D-don't cry! People may think I did something to you!" Sano hurried to calm her down

Christine leaned her head on Sano's shoulder. She looked up in the sky and said "thank you…" Christine yawned

"You know…I was just wondering…after this…what do you plan-to-do? I mean after all, these things are for you and him to get back together right?…Huh?" Sano noticed a warm puff of breathe touching his skin. He turned to see what Christine was doing and … "she's asleep," he said while patting her head, bearing the gentle smile of an older brother figure. "It's cold out here…let's go get you inside" Sano carried Christine in his arms and took her inside. He laid her futon down and tucked her in.

"She's really cute" he commented her sleeping figure while he sat beside her watching over her. Somehow, he kind of felt sentimental at that moment. He never had a little sister not even someone whom he could call family. Christine gave him a feeling that he needed to watch over her and that she needed him. And he kind of like that feeling … being needed…being wanted around. For a freeloader like him, life isn't that easy. Nobody seems to ever want you around. And with Megumi acting like this, he just felt worse.

"How's Christine doing?" asked a deep familiar voice

"WAAAH!" Sano fell on his back "Saito! What are you doing here?"

"Did I scare you?" Saito asked with a sly grin on his face

"GRR! Don't go surprising people like that can't you see she's sleeping?!" Sano said in a hushed yet, aggravated tone

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It's the big day and everyone is going round and about to fix the last minute preparations.

The girls are busy fixing up Christine's white wedding kimono.

"Is this how it really goes?" she asks Tae and Kaoru who's busy arranging her special obi.

Tae looked up and answered her "why? Is it too tight? Can you still breathe?" she's worried that Christine, who's not used to wearing a kimono, might think it's not comfortable enough

Christine shook her head and looked down at the two with a smile "No… I think it's just fine …I actually think I look pretty in it! I'm just curious about this dress though…."

"This is your first time to wear a kimono Christine…are you sure you want to wear this to the wedding? I mean…I think you also look pretty in the gown you brought with you from England…" Kaoru remarked, worriedly

"I'm saving the gown for the real wedding…I decided to do a Japanese wedding so that Sano-kun wouldn't feel awkward. I already gave him too many problems …I guess I just want him to feel comfortable around me, in this situation. And besides! Wouldn't this look more convincing if we did it like this?"

Both girls smiled in reply

Christine suddenly remembered the lady that barged in their engagement meeting the other day …"Ms. Kaoru … can I ask you something? " she turned to Kaoru again

"What is it Christine? Are you nervous?"

Christine shook her head and reached for her comb. "That lady the other day…who is she?"

"Lady?" Kaoru asked again. She was trying to make out whom Christine is pertaining to and she remembered "OH! You mean Megumi?" she asked just to make sure but she saw the blank expression on Christine's face suggesting that she explain further. "Are you talking about the girl with really long black and shiny hair that left so suddenly?"

Christine nod

"Yes…that's Megumi…she's a friend of ours. She used to visit the Dojo often with Dr. Gensai…she's also a doctor you know!" Kaoru explained

"Hey…speaking of Megumi…she went to my shop, late afternoon, the other day and she was acting really strange…" Tae held her palm over her cheek "I wonder if something happened to her?"

Kaoru giggled "oh that? Well, I think something did happen to her. You see, she arrived late when Christine and Sano told us about the Mock wedding…we think that she thinks that this is a real wedding. Sano says she's jealous"

"Oh? Are they having a relationship? Did I ruin their relationship or something? OH good heavens! I must apologize at once!" Christine panicked.

"THUG!" Christine fell flat on her face. She was in a fuzz to apologize to Sano and Megumi that she forgot she was wearing a kimono. Unlike the dresses that she used to wear, it limits her to move freely so she tripped and fell on the floor.

"AH!" screamed both girls in surprise. Tae immediately assisted Christine to her feet and said, "You don't have to worry about Megumi and Sano. They actually don't have a relationship. They just find each other Uhhhh…well…how do we describe them Kaoru?" she turned to Kaoru for help

"We actually don't know but as of the moment, all I can say is that they like each other. They just don't want to admit it." Kaoru smiled trying to calm down her over excited friend

"Really? What a wonderful love story…" Christine pensively envisioned Sano and Megumi having a wedding

Tae sighed and said, "They would be such a couple…but both of them are too stubborn to admit that they really do like each other"

Kaoru nod in agreement "Yes…I do agree…"

The three sat and sighed in unison at the thought.

"I know…we can find a way to get both of them to admit that they love each other! It's going to be called "Operation: Love of my life"…this will be fun!" Christine gleefully declared

"Huh?" both looked at Christine with confused eyes…they had no idea what Christine is going to cook up next…

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So this concludes this chappy…whoohooh! This will be finished very soon. And everyone should be happy about it too cause this will be a very…Uhhhh…should I tell? Hmmm…. ha-ha! I don't think so. Just wait for it okay! Chao!