Yea! I'm updating again! For those of you wondering about the romance, here it is.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin. So don't sue.

Kenshin immersed his arms once again into the soapy water. As he gentle scrubbed the soft material of Kaoru's clothing, he thought back on the happy times he had experienced since agreeing to stay with the young girl and help her run the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo.

"Uncle Ken, what are you doing?" Ayame Gensai, the young granddaughter of Kaoru's trusted friend, Dr. Gensai, questioned of the former samurai.

"Uncle Ken, what are you doing?" Suzume echoed her older sister.

"Kaoru-dono asked me to do the laundry, so I am doing it, that I am." Kenshin replied to the inquisitive young girls.

At that moment, Kaoru stepped outside and wandered on the scene. Kenshin had replaced the article he had previously been washing in the tub, and now was running around the yard, carrying the two little girls on his back. Kaoru had to laugh, mostly at the idea that Kenshin was willingly doing the laundry. She knew that her father would have a horrified look on his face if he could see Kenshin gladly doing the tasks that "no man would ever do" as her father put it.

"Oh Kaoru-dono, I didn't know you were back. Did you enjoy your walk?" Kenshin mumbled, his mouth being stretched by Suzume's fingers within them.

"Yes. It was nice to have a little relaxation time."

"You know, you should spend that extra time sleeping. You know what they say, people need to get their beauty rest. Obviously, you never sleep!" Yahiko Myojin, Kaoru's only student currently, teased her as usual.

"Yahiko, if you don't start respecting your elders, I may make you pay to stay here. I don't have the patience to deal with whiney little freeloaders." Kaoru threatened.

"Oh yeah? Well maybe I'll just leave then. I'm sure Tsubame could get me a job at the Akebeko." Yahiko threatened once again to leave.

"Oh yeah? You can just do that."

"Fine, I will."
"Fine."

Kenshin laughed at them. Though they firmly denied it, Kaoru and Yahiko had become like brother and sister, teasing one another, but deep down, they really cared about each other.

"Kenshin, while I teach some manners to Yahiko-CHAN, would you finish washing the laundry?" Kaoru asked, knowingly annoying Yahiko.

"Don't call me chan. I'm not LITTLE!" Yahiko complained.

Kenshin again chuckled at the two. Ayame and Suzume were also laughing at them by this time. "So would you two like to help me?" Kenshin kneeled down to be eye-level with the girls.

"Yeah, we get to help Uncle Ken!" They cheered in unison.

Kenshin carefully folded the dry clothes into stacks. As he removed Kaoru's purple ribbon from the clothesline, he recalled her reaction when she had received it.

FLASHBACK

Kaoru had just led Kenshin back to her home. As she opened the gate, a young boy appeared out of the shadows.

"Ma'am, are you Miss Kamiya?" He held a wrapped package in his arms.

"I am. What can I do to help you?" Kaoru looked hopeful that this boy would be her newest student.

"I was asked to give this to you." He handed the package to her.

"Oh. Well, arigato. Here," Kaoru reached into her pocket. "5 yen for your trouble."

The boy's eyes lit up. 15 yen for delivering a package? He should do this more often. As he ran off into the distance, Kenshin turned to Kaoru.

"What is it?"

"There's no card." Kaoru hastily removed the wrappings. Nestled in the package was a long, indigo ribbon. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered the promise from an older brother many years ago. Was it possible that Sano was still alive?

"Kaoru-dono, is something wrong?"

"No Kenshin, nothing's wrong. I - I have to go prepare your room. Please follow me."

END OF FLASHBACK

Kenshin had never been able to get an explanation out of Kaoru, but he understood that the ribbon held some deep significance for her. He was always extremely careful when handling the precious piece of cloth.

"Kaoru, here are your clothes. Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin knocked softly on the door to her room.

"Oh, thank you Kenshin." Kaoru opened the door to allow Kenshin to come in. He set the clothing carefully in the cupboard Kaoru kept them.

"Dinner should be ready shortly." Kenshin said as he made to leave.

"Kenshin, don't leave." Kaoru pleaded.

"Kaoru-dono, is something wrong?"

"Kenshin, how do you feel about me? I mean, we've known each other for nearly two years now. Do you still think of me as the one who gave to shelter, a place to live, or - something more?" Kaoru was trying to hint at her own feelings for Kenshin, but tried to gauge his first.

"Kaoru-dono, you are a very nice young woman. I've enjoyed living here for so long."

"Kenshin, how can you be so dense?" Kaoru thought to herself. "Kenshin, I - I have some very deep feelings for you, that I can't suppress any longer. I - I love you."

He stared at her, not sure he heard her right. How could she, a young, pure, innocent girl fall in love with him, a former samurai, having killed more people than she had years on this earth. As much as he wanted to give into his own deep feelings for the beautiful woman, he knew that he couldn't put her life in danger just to serve his own selfish purposes.

"Kaoru-dono, as flattered as I am, there's no way that anything between us could ever work out. I have to many enemies, your life would constantly be in danger."

"Kenshin, do you ever stop thinking about other people? Just give in to your own feelings." With this, Kaoru pulled Kenshin to her and kissed him passionately.

Kenshin, at first surprised, realized how good it felt to have Kaoru's body up against his own. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss, the door to Kaoru's room flew open.

"Whoa! Go Kaoru!" Yahiko cheered from the doorway.

"Yahiko! Have you ever heard of knocking?" Kaoru yelled at the boy.

"Maybe you should find somewhere else to do this sort of stuff. At least I stopped you now, before you got any farther. Then my eyes would be burning from the sight of naked Kaoru."

Kaoru's face when at least 10 different shades of red before she started chasing after the boy, yelling about decorum and manners. Kenshin gave a deep sigh of regret, that he had not been able to fully show Kaoru how much he really did care about her. One day he would though. One day soon.

Author's Note: Hopefully I can update soon. I did start another fic, but I'm determined to finish this before I do much with the other one. Now review!