A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but it's finally here! Again, I thank all of you who enjoy this story and I'm grateful for all of the wonderful feedback. Hope you like the continuation, because here's day four!
DAY FOUR
"So lemme get this straight," the ten-year-old mused as he stroked his imaginary goatee. There was a random pause. Kenshin rolled his eyes. "You want me…to…trash Kaoru's room? Using my bokken!?! Have you gotten drunk AGAIN!?" Yahiko looked at Kenshin rather forlornly. "Man, spending too much time with Sanosuke isn't a good thing after all."
"Well, Yahiko…err…"
"And anyways, why the heck would you want me to do something like that? You know full well Kaoru would have my head if she found out that I was the one who did the messing up!" Kenshin gestured to Yahiko that he should keep his voice down. "Whoops. And why are you randomly coming up to me and asking such a favor?"
"Yahiko, I…uhh…" Kenshin stammered. He had to have Yahiko do exactly that if he wanted to win the bet. An earlier conversation with the ex-gangster brought this idea circulating into the rurouni's mind, actually…a very INTERESTING conversation, indeed.
Sanosuke set up his sake set (complete with 10 saucers) and sat himself across from Kenshin. Crossing his legs and propping his back against a wall, he eyed Kenshin ruefully. "Man, you've gotten just about nowhere…haven't you?" Kenshin felt his shoulders drop. "Okay, you're makin' it sound like that was just the biggest understatement of the century!" The redhead said nothing.
"That's because there hasn't been any progress, that there hasn't. Miss Kaoru and I have not grown any closer since then and I'm really starting to lose hope…"
"I'm your best friend and there's no way I'm gonna give up on a hopeless guy like you!"
"Gee, because that means SO MUCH coming from you…" Kenshin added wryly. Sanosuke smiled sheepishly and put the saucer to his lips. "And another thing, Sano…maybe it would be best if you didn't get drunk just yet. I came here to talk with my SOBER companion and partner in crime. You can at least do me this favor…until I leave, please." The nineteen-year-old shrugged lethargically and haphazardly tossed the saucer. It smashed. There was another random pause. "Umm…why did you just…"
"Oookay, then! About that problem of yours!" Sanosuke interjected passionately, cracking his knuckles and leaning forward, arms soon waving in the air. "Gotta help you out."
"Er…okayyy…then…" Kenshin muttered under his breath. "Well I was just coming over here to tell you about my 'progress' with Miss Kaoru. That said progress being close to a complete failure. I don't know if I could actually pull this off or not… I DO have morals, too you know…"
"Well, what about Battousai?"
Kenshin's heart stopped for a second. "No, not him…" He muttered. Sanosuke grinned and was suddenly mildly interested in Kenshin's little argument with himself that he completely disregarded the fact that there was sake in the room. He sake senses were no longer tingling… wow, we're really making history here today, ne?
"What's wrong with Battousai, Kenshin?"
"He's a little…TOO persistent for his own good, Sano. So I guess the answer to your question would be a no. He doesn't have morals that he follows. In fact, I think he's pretty much…arrogant, selfish, stubborn, determined, and a lot of other things that give me nightmares." Sanosuke clapped his hands together and Kenshin arched an eyebrow. "You're…not suggesting what I think you're going to suggest…are you?"
"Well, I AM going to get drunk soon so probably," the teen slurred as he looked at the smashed saucer. "Wonder why I did that…oh well. Anyways, since Battousai is a lot more manly and obviously has more guts than you do…" He paused. "Actually, Ayame probably has more guts than you…" Kenshin rolled his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "SO not the point. I was gonna say that you should kinda let your Battousai side take over! Maybe then you could go through with all that stuff without your gay 'morals' getting in the way."
"It would be best if I DIDN'T listen to what you say… for one thing, the Battousai within me would stop at NOTHING to make Miss Kaoru his…"
"So does that mean that he wants her…baaad?" Sanosuke taunted, his lips curling into a devilish smirk.
Kenshin blushed fiercely. True enough, that WAS the case. "Uhh, can we just…figure out something else that has nothing to do with him?" Sanosuke tapped his index finger against his chin for a few moments. It seemed as if he was speculating about a certain something but Kenshin had decided not to say anything that would make him lose his rare train of thought.
Sanosuke suddenly leapt up, clapped his hands, and hollered compliments to himself, all the while Kenshin staring at his 'friend' in a dumbfounded manner. "Okay, so the way to win this bet…is to get Jou-chan into your bed so that you could…ya know…" Kenshin covered his ears. "Work your Himura magic…sure that works." The rurouni pouted. "Okay so you gotta do that…how? Well, if you're too wussy to tell her that you love her, maybe you should make it so that you have to share a room somehow…" Kenshin raised an eyebrow. Much to his surprise, Sanosuke was actually thinking…thoughtfully… "Okay well since you gotta do that, maybe you should kinda…mess up her room and stuff so that she'll have to sleep with you!"
"Uhmm…I won't feel right if I did it…"
"Well then get Yahiko to do it! The kid's probably dying to get back at Jou-chan for putting him under tough training lately. Ya know, I can almost guarantee that he'll want to do it! Just go ahead and ask him! I'm sure that he'll totally say yes. But wait! Remember not to spill the beans about WHY you want him to do it! Make up some crappy excuse if you have to!"
Kenshin massaged his temples. That was Sanosuke's 'brilliant' plan all right. "Well, Yahiko…I actually didn't suggest the idea. You see Sanosuke had told me to tell you to do it because…err…well, he believed it to have…some sort of comical value." The redhead smiled nervously and the ten-year-old lethargically placed a hand on his hip and rolled his chocolate brown eyes. "He also stated that he would beat you up if you didn't do it," he added his two cents to make it a little more believable in the child's eyes. What an excuse. Good going, Kenshin.
"Huh, yeah I guess that's Sano, all right." Yahiko paused in thought for a moment, looking somewhat pensive. "Yeah, okay…I've been wanting to get back at Kaoru anyways because she's being such a bitchy teacher lately and yeah…"
Kenshin nervously put a hand behind his head. "She is under a lot of stress, that she is. I'm sure that she doesn't mean to push you so hard, Yahiko…" Yahiko nodded. "So…I'll let you get to fulfilling Sanosuke's request and I'll be…doing laundry. Okay, bye," Kenshin glanced at the youth one last time before zipping out of the room and shaking his head. He knew full well that Yahiko would go through with it and to be in the same room with a troublemaker meant getting no dinner. Kenshin really didn't want to upset Kaoru anymore than he already had. And anyway, he didn't have a death wish either…
Kaoru POV:
Oh my goodness! After a long hard day, a nice nap is just what I need! Aaah, just thinking about it makes me so much happier than I was back there training my students. Don't get me wrong here, I love them so much! It's just that well…you know… a girl isn't supposed to be hanging around younger boys so often. I feel as if I babysit for a living! Yeech! What a horrible thought! Yahiko alone is enough to give me a splitting headache!
I don't want to have to dish out sword lessons for the rest of my life, ya know! I mean, I should be swept off my feet by my knight in shining armor! I should have the chance to get married! I shoul-- uh, what's on my cheek? I look around quickly to see if anyone is watching me and wipe off the drool from my face. Yes, I was drooling… but hey, c'mon. I couldn't help it! Just the thought of romance really makes my head spin! And hey, look at it from my point of view for a second here. I've been utterly and thoroughly deprived from it. I mean it's not like Kenshin cares. I wish he would. I know that I've made it obvious that I…you know… am in love with him and everything. But I really wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know how I felt…
I love Kenshin. He's really the kindest and sweetest man that I've ever met. Really he is. It's just that…sometimes…his level of politeness… is just TOO unbearable! I just wish for ONE day, that he would be familiar with me! I'm sick of the 'Miss Kaoru' and 'that I am.' I know that there's a side to Kenshin that I've never seen before. I want him to show it to me. But I know that he won't. He's just Kenshin. And Kenshin is well…someone who respects people and takes things slowly…that's all. I understand I guess…
---
Kaoru wearily pushed open the gates to the Doujo and felt her shoulders drop. After a long, hard day all she really wanted was some peace and quiet in her own room to herself. Little did she know, she would have to first face her newly destroyed room. And it was all thanks to Myoujin Yahiko. "Kenshin? Kenshin are you here?" Kaoru called out as she placed her bokken down next to the clothesline and walked briskly toward the training hall.
Suddenly, Kaoru heard a yelp of 'ORO!' and a loud crash. Nothing good…to say the least. "Kenshin what happened?" Kaoru called out as she ran in the direction of the girlish squeak. Her eyes widened. There sat Kenshin, completely soaked. Why you ask? Well, our poor rurouni had SOMEHOW managed to overturn the entire washbasin. Either there was some really freaky force out to get him or it was just payback for whatever reason. "Oh my gosh! Are you all right?"
"Oh, Miss Kaoru…I didn't know you were here!" Kenshin smiled sheepishly, using his now unreadable façade. "I…um…didn't mean to do it. I was in a rush because I lost track of time and…I err, well wanted to prepare lunch soon and I was trying my very best to do all of this before you arrived. Please accept my humblest apologies." Kenshin bowed slightly but stopped abruptly once he caught sight of Kaoru placing a hand onto his chest.
"You can stop now," she said accompanied with a heavy sigh. "You know you really don't get it sometimes. I guess that's how men are. None of you change one little bit. You never listen to anyone else. Sometimes I don't understand how you live like that," she said as she lethargically closed her eyes.
"Oh…umm…" Kenshin muttered in a low tone as he let his eyes trail down to her hand. It was so small…so frail, hardly a flaw. Just thinking about the heat that her hand provided caused Kenshin to blush fiercely. "Umm…Miss Kaoru…could you…could you…let go of…" Kaoru looked down as well, her cheeks growing hotter and hotter after every passing second.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Kaoru looked away, very embarrassed to be in such a compromising position with Kenshin. "But anyway, you should change out of those clothes. If you don't listen, don't come crying to me later on when you're sick and all." She waved her hands aimlessly, trying to get her mind off of Kenshin in a soaking wet gi.
Kaoru POV:
Of course after a long hard day, seeing Kenshin like that is just what the doctor ordered. Oh my goodness! Since WHEN did I start taking after Okina? I am NOT a hentai! But still, Kenshin does look very good when he's wet. I mean, really. That time a few days ago when I saw him completely…and when I say that I mean COMPLETELY naked. I mean it was the same thing with me but I at least had a towel nearby. He hadn't a thing to cover him. Well that's always good for me.
"I'm fine, Miss Kaoru, that I am," he reassures as he smiles politely and adjusts his gi. I can't stand it.
"Kenshin, give me that. I told you, I'm not playing the role of the mother in this house so there is no way that I'm going to let you get sick." Unconsciously, I yank it off and the next thing I know, I'm staring at the gi in my hands. Well, now at least we know that his health isn't endangered. Oh yeah right, like THAT thought alone is going to keep me from looking at him. My eyes blink several times. I try to picture him not being there but that doesn't bode well when his…chest…is EXPOSED.
Kenshin POV:
I didn't mean for her to take my gi away. But it does seem that she has some mild interest in whatever physique I possess. I must admit though, I'm very happy that she seems to like it. This will definitely prove useful for when I have to make love to her. I just hope that she'll be willing and that she won't be afraid. Miss Kaoru really does mean a lot to me. Probably the most.
I feel my lips curl into a satisfied smile. She's so…pure…and sweet and… I don't know how else to describe her. It's so amazing. Well actually…SHE is so amazing. I'm just so grateful to have her in my life, that I am. And just having her stand here, right in front of me, I feel as if this moment in time is pure bliss. Nothing can ruin my day now.
"HE DID IT!" Yahiko.
"NO ASSHOLE, YOU DID!" And…Sano.
I stand corrected, that I do…if possible, they ruined my year. Why is it that every time I want to be with Kaoru, all alone…something has to go wrong? You see so far this week has been a complete disaster. I haven't accomplished ONE measly little thing. Talk about an intense challenge.
There was an awkward pause and Yahiko and Sanosuke paused in mid-quarrel. My sweet Kaoru looked away from me and at the two barbarians who seemed to be out of breath and red in the face. "What's going on now guys?"
"HE TRASHED YOUR ROOM!!!" Both of the mature 'boys' pointed fingers at one another and ran away…well…screaming. Kaoru looked less than pleased. And of course, me being the polite, and blatantly dutiful rurouni, smiled at her in hopes of easing her pain. But once I saw her shoulders sag down, did I start to frown. I wish I hadn't told Yahiko to destroy Kaoru's room. We didn't have to sleep in the same room…the week wasn't over anyway…
"I think I am going to go and see if I can spend the night at Megumi's clinic," Kaoru said as she looked down at her feet.
"Would you like me to walk you? It is the least that I can do, that it is."
"No, Kenshin…it's all right. I think that I should just go before I lose my temper," she replies, following up by gritting her teeth and balling up her left fist.
I laugh nervously. Oh right. One Kaoru plus two overly-annoying freeloaders equals one crazy situation that I would never, in seven hells, would want to be a part of. Hmm, now I'm surprised that she hasn't snapped yet and pulled a bokken from out of nowhere. Well I'm glad that that isn't the case right now. The last thing that I would want to do would be to annoy Miss Kaoru further. And so she walks away and the only thing that I can do is watch her gather her things and walk out of the Doujo. So much for Sanosuke's brilliant plan. Instead of having her come to me, she's been driven away. I really need to find a way to make my head stop hurting. Oh yes…and another thing.
This is the LAST time that I'm EVER listening to Sano…
A/N: So now Kaoru's stuck at Megumi's for the night. What will occur the morning after? Will she have to face reality and stay with Kenshin as planned? You'll just have to tune in to find out, won't you? Thanks a lot! Please review! Ciao!
Son Christine
