Disclaimer:
Jenna: Just like Adelaide said in her notes, she does not own anything in these two chapters. She doesn't own the the song, You Were Meant for Me by Jewel, or Inside Out by Eve 6.
Ali: Neither does she own Rurouni Kenshin.
Bikky: We didn't give her any ideas for this one, so don't blame us!
Maria: She's just part of our little family and we love her so much! ("Sit Adelaide. Be good.")
You Were Meant for Me (featuring Inside Out by Eve 6)
Chapter 2: Present Day
I hear the clock, it's 6 A.M.,
I feel so far away from where I've been.
I got my eggs, got my pancakes, too.
Got my maple syrup, ev'rything but you.
I break the yolks and make a smiley face,
I kinda like it in my brand new place.
Wipe the spots above the mirror,
Don't leave the keys in the door.
I never put wet towels on the floor anymore, 'cause
'Want to put my tender heart in a blender Watch it spin...' was the sound that Karou woke up to. It only reminded of the state her own heart was in. The song continued as she got ready for school. The sun started to rise, letting the light into her bedroom...'round to a beautiful oblivion rendezvous then I'm through with you...' It was bad enough that he had broken her heart, then pulverized it. She loved him. She didn't know why she still did, but she did. He had hurt her. She didn't feel like breakfast any longer. She told her mother that she wasn't hungry, and left early for school.
Kenshin wasn't to happy at the moment either. He hadn't wanted to hear the song on the radio. He'd woken up to a song that reminded him of her. ' I burn burn like wicker cabinet...' gosh, he loved her so much. 'Oh so frail...' he was hurt. He hadn't wanted to break up with Karou. He loved her. 'I think sick like ginger ale my stomach turns and I exhale.' Kenshin told his mother his mother he had to be at school early, and didn't have time for breakfast.
Dreams last so long,
Even after you're gone.
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me,
And I was meant for you.
Karou walked through the park, over the bridge. It was the shortest distance to the school, but that wasn't the only reason she loved walking through this park. Kenshin...This was the park where they had first met.
She had fallen asleep under the Sakura trees that lined the small river that ran through the park. She had been practicing her kendo. In her dream the light flittered across her face, and she cooled down a bit. It felt good, the breeze ruffling her hair, spread over the grass. Memories of having days with her Mother and Father at the playground here came back to her. Taking naps, her father soothing her hair out...she wasn't alone. Karou sat straight up, frightened by the person crouching next to her. He had bright red hair that was held in a high ponytail by a black band and had the most violet eyes she had ever seen. Probably the only violet eyes she had ever seen. He was dressed in a traditional practice uniform of a white pair of white hakama and a magenta gi.
"I'm sorry. You looked so very pretty and peaceful here under the tree. I didn't mean to wake you. My name is Kenshin. Kenshin Himura."
"Hello. I'm Karou Kamiya."
They had sat there, under the trees for hours talking. They realized that they
were in the same class at the high school. They talked about the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. They talked about their families, both realizing that they had both lost parents, both losing their fathers. The sun had started to set as they left the park, and went in separate directions.
I called my momma, she was out for a walk.
Consoled a cup of coffee, but it didn't wanna talk.
So I picked up a paper, it was more bad news.
More hearts being broken or people being used.
Put on my coat in the pouring rain.
I saw a movie, it just wasn't the same.
'Cause it was happy and I was sad
And it made me miss you, oh, so bad.
During lunch Karou's friends Misao and Megumi were talking about going to a movie after school. Karou agreed to go along. She needed to get out, and spending time with Mis and Megumi helped heal the pain that her heart was feeling. The days were hard during school. Being in the same class as Kenshin made her ecstatic at the beginning of the school year. But now it gave her this feeling in her stomach. Every time she saw him, or heard his voice in class, she wanted breakdown crying, or start yelling. She had to get better before she had a total breakdown in front of everyone.
The movie was wonderful. She was able to laugh and have a good time, with only a few times thinking of Kenshin. After the movie the three of them went to a small café that they loved.
She dreamed of Sakura trees and red heads again that night. He dreamed of sun and sparkling sapphire eyes having a Sakura flower placed by her ear. They dreamed of each other...once again that night.
(Chorus)
Dreams last so long,
Even after you're gone.
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me,
And I was meant for you.
Kenshin took the longer way, as he had been recently to avoid Karou. He hadn't wanted her to see him, and he hadn't wanted to see her. She reminded him of how much he had hurt her. He had enough grief and hurt and guilt about what had happened that he could hardly bare to even hear her name. That was a hard thing to do, being in the same group of friends.
"Mr. Himura. MR. HIMURA, PLEASE WAKE UP!" his home room teacher said from the front of the classroom.
Kenshin hadn't wanted to wake up. His dream was of sunny days like the one outside of the classroom window spent with Karou. He looked up and nodded to the teacher. "I'm sorry Sensei. I wasn't feeling well last night and didn't get a lot of sleep." He heard a cough from his left and saw that Sano, his best friend, didn't exactly believe in what Kenshin had told the teacher.
"It's fine. But the next time you'll receive detention." The teacher said, as Kenshin nodded.
Kenshin stayed awake, but couldn't get his dream out of his head.
Later that day...
"Hey Kenshin, we need to talk to you." Aoshi said, coming up to Kenshin's locker
at lunch.
"Sure. Let's meet at the park after school."
"Perfect." Sano said.
At the same time...
"Hey Karou!" Misao said coming up to Karou's locker.
"Hey."
"We wanted to know if you wanted to go practice at the park after school." Misao said.
"Sure. I'd love to. I even have my uniform with me."
"That's great! See ya there!"
When Karou got to the spot where they usually practiced, no one else was there. She was the first one. She set down her book bag, and took out her bokken. That was when she saw a familiar body leaning against one of the trees. It was...Kenshin. What was he doing here? Karou inched toward him, when she was a few feet from him, she stopped. He had his sword set against his shoulder, holding the hilt, sleeping. She couldn't remember how many times she had seen him sleep like in this position. A hundred times, even a thousand. She often had leaned against him, her head on his opposite shoulder, resting right along with him. She crouched down where she was, tears falling from her eyes. A moment later she felt movement next to her, a hand cupping her cheek, wiping her tears away.
Go about my bus'ness, I'm doing fine.
Besides, a-what would I say if I had you on the line?
Same old story not much to say,
Hearts are broken ev'ry day.
"Don't cry."
Karou looked up into beautiful violet eyes. She shook her head and looked over to where Kenshin had been sitting a few minutes ago.
"I'm not over there Karou." Kenshin said, turning her face towards him.
"Kenshin..."
I brush my teeth and put the cap back on.
I know you hate it when I leave the light on.
I pick a book up and then I turn the sheets down,
And then I take a deep breath and a good look around.
Put on my pj's and hop into bed.
I'm half alive, but I feel mostly dead.
I try and tell myself it'll be all right,
I just shouldn't think anymore tonight.
"Why are you here?" Kenshin asked softly.
"Misao said she wanted to practice after school. What about you?"
"Aoshi and Sano wanted to talk to me. I decided that I would practice a little while I was here."
"Do you think..."
"It's quite a while after they said they would meet me here..."
"It's forty-five minutes after school ended." Karou said.
"Is it? I guess I fell asleep."
"Uh-huh."
"Do you really think that they did this, so we would talk?" Kenshin said, standing up, giving his hand to Karou.
"It seems that way." Karou said, taking his hand.
"Just like old times isn't it?" Kenshin said, holding her hand, and walking along the river.
"Kenshin...what are you singing?" Stopping under the tree that Kenshin had been sleeping under.
"What do you mean?" Kenshin said, turning to her.
"'Just like old times'."
"Oh, well, we walked like this so many days after school, practicing here. I've dreamed of you every night. Here, in the park. The blossoms blooming in the spring, falling later. Taking naps, reading, the sun flickering across your face like it did that first day."
"Why? Why did you break my heart?" Karou said reaching up to Kenshin's face.
Dreams last so long,
Even after you're gone.
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me,
And I was meant for you.
"You were the perfect dream. You never cared what my past had involved. You loved me without condition. I knew it wouldn't last forever. It couldn't of. Nothing as perfect as you ever lasts. My life has taught me that. Even though I loved you with my entire heart, soul, and body. I knew that if I didn't, you would break that, and I wouldn't been able to handle that. I couldn't lose you. Being torn apart like this has been torture, such pain I've never experienced, but I knew it was better for you in the future. You would of forgotten me, found a new guy, and lived happily." Kenshin said.
"I dreamed of you each night. Cried myself to sleep every night. Couldn't look at you without crying, without my heartbreaking into a million pieces. This is the worst pain that has happened to me. I love you. I will never leave. I will never forget you. I will never find anyone else but you Kenshin. Never. I am yours, always and forever." Karou said, tears streaming down her face in rivers of saltiness.
"Karou." Kenshin said, once again wiping away her tears."I love you. I never wanted to actually leave you. It was suppose to be better that way. Better for you."
"Being with you is better than anything I ever could want or need."
"I'm, I'm sorry." placing his forehead on hers.
"It's fine. Let's just move on." Karou said, placing a kiss on his nose.
"It's not fine. I hurt you. I hurt our relationship. I made you cry. Repeatedly. I should never have done what I did."
"Kenshin. Like you said, I never cared about your past, I loved you without condition, and still do. I will always stay by your side, loving you unconditionally. No matter the situation. No matter how stupid you act. No matter what notions you get in your brain. I will always be here." Karou said, brushing his bangs away from his face, letting her hand wipe across his face.
"I dreamed of you too. The cherry blossoms blooming. The sun making her eyes sparkle even more than normal. I dreamed of you every night. Holding you in my arms, here. It's weird, every moment special to us has happened here. It seems right that we met here...today."
"Yes. Very right."
"Come here." Kenshin said, leading her to where he had been sleeping not twenty minutes ago.
"What is it?"
"I've been carrying this around for months even before I broke up with you." Kenshin said, kneeling in front of Karou, searching through his book bag.
He turned around, looking up at her, holding up a small box with a blue ribbon tied around it. Karou took the box, untying the ribbon, and placing the lid under the box. She carefully removed the like pink tissue paper, revealing the gift that Kenshin had given her. She dropped to her knees, figuring out what the pendant on the delicate silver chain actually was. "Kenshin, it's beautiful...absolutely beautiful."
"Here, let me get that for you." Kenshin said, taking the silver chain. He got up and moved around, to place the necklace around her neck. He hooked the clasped, and sitting down, drew Karou into his embrace. Karou was holding the pendant in her hand, gazing at it with amazement. "Kenshin, it's absolutely perfect." "I love you." was his reply. They stayed there, talking until the sun set looking at the pink and silver Cherry Blossom pendant.
Yeah, you were meant for me
And I was meant for you.
