Disclaimer:
I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.
Summary:
She thought he was in love with another girl, when he realized that he was in love with her. This is a story of how a man falls in love with the best friend and how he will do everything to make her realize what he feels for her is true.
Note:
Kaoru is ten as Kenshin is fourteen.
(",)(.")(,")
I'll make you… Chapter 2: So that's what…"Kaoru?" he whispered. She smiled. He smiled back. With that he gathered her in his arms and hugged her tight.
"Kaoru." She giggled.
"Yes, that's my name so don't wear it out," she said as she patted his head.
"Happy birthday, Ken-chan," as he heard her he buried his face into her hair. Jasmine.
"Little Kaoru." After that their warm moment was disrupted with Kenshin's shishou calling them for dinner. They went in and caught up with old times. Kenshin's shishou smirked as he saw his pupil become open more than he had been in the years he had taken care of him.
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People suddenly wondered at the change in Kenshin, most especially at school.
He now seemed so cheerful and at peace with himself that he became approachable. His participation in school became noticed, and then his good looks. Nowadays, he smiled and he looked good.
Days later, boys gathered and befriending him. Nowadays, girls were shy around him and blushed, from afar they giggled and sighed. Somehow, Kenshin exuded grace, not anymore seen stiff. He was handsome, not anymore seen as different.
He had become popular in a sense in a few days time and they wondered about it. He was often asked at how came to change. He would just smile and remain humble.
Outside school, when people passed him they saw a young man that was going to be successful. Outside school, people commented at how he just needed to adapt to his situation. Some people even congratulated Kenshin's shishou. He merely raced an eyebrow at them.
Kenshin had changed.
Some suspected that the company of the young raven-haired girl beside him had something to do with his sudden change. Some suspected her to be his sister or even a girlfriend, which were soon stomped upon as they discovered her to be his childhood friend.
Changed? That's what they think. I'm just a boy, in front of a girl. He thought as he looked up and looked at Tomoe. Showing her how much worthy he is now. Tomoe glanced his way and saw him looking. She smiled and waved at him. A few girls at her back giggled and blushed… and whispered something at Tomoe as he waved back. Yearning for her to love him. He smiled his smile. Now, will you look at me. I'm getting so cheesy… sigh, Notting Hill. Thinking it was for the whole lot, the other girls blushed and sighed.
His smile faltered as he saw Akira approach Tomoe. Tomoe hugged him as he got close enough. Akira hugged her back and twirled her around. The girls around them couldn't help but look at them wistfully. Kenshin couldn't help but be wistful with them. How he wished he was the one Tomoe was in love with. He sighed and looked up.
Tomoe deserves a guy that loves her and Akira was certainly up to the task. He gave up his inheritance just to be with the woman he loved. But which he regained as his parents gave up to the idea that he would leave her. After some years, they accepted Tomoe and they were still together.
Even Enishi thought them to be the perfect couple even if he was rather reluctant and protective at first. Akira proved to be formidable in his love and Tomoe cannot help but blush at the thought that he had chosen her.
Kenshin sighed. He knew that Tomoe would never look at him other than a friend and younger brother even if Kenshin were older than Enishi by three years, and younger than her by also three years.
But he still cannot help but hold an attraction to the lady that became his inspiration. Before her, he was teased a lot because of his strange appearance. When she had saved him, he tried to make something of himself, which he did. He was now a prized member of the kendo club. He accelerated in his studies. He became dashing to the eyes of women. He was a model to the men. He was kind, rich (thanks to his adopted father), intelligent, and good-humored.
Everyone admired him, even Akira and Tomoe, who was proud to be called his friend. Friend… he wanted so much more than friendship from her. But it looked as if he will never have the chance.
He looked up and wished that he would move on and find his soul mate, if he had one out there. Gazing softly at the sky, he called for his soul mate. Where are you?
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A raven-haired girl looked up. Quizzically, she looked around. She felt a pull at her heart a minute ago as if she was called. She shrugged and carried her lunch towards the courtyard and towards her spot.
She looked around again, satisfied that no one seemed to be calling her, she took a bite of her sandwich. He bite was so big she bit the napkin around it. As she lifted her teeth she saw that she marred her name on the napkin. She lifted it and moved Kaoru back.
Hmm, I wonder what's Ken-chan doing today? I wonder what's his lunch? I wonder- hello? She thought as she made her way to the fence that separated the elementary, high school, and college. A tree was growing right beside it and its branches grow to the other side. Smiling mischievously, Kaoru climbed it and jumped over. After dusting herself, she set on explore high school.
After a while, she came upon a spot not too far away from the fence. She looked at it and for some reason had the urge to hug it. And hug it she did. For a while everything was peaceful, it was then Kaoru heard a soft snore. She let go of the tree and looked around. Seeing no one, she turned to look at the tree. Was it you?
Shaking her head, she rounded the tree to discover on the other side none other than her Ken-chan. She crouched beside him and brushed lightly a strand, which was tickling his nose. She smiled at the cute sight he made. Oh so cute. And with that she leaned forward and gave his nose a kiss.
The contact was not unnoticed. Kenshin bolted up to be greeted by the smiling face of his Kaoru. "Kaoru?" he asked uncertainly. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her again to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
As he opened and saw her still he asked," How did you get here? You are not skipping school are you?" with that he sat up straight. Kaoru giggled and then shook her head. She tilted her head and looked at him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I wanted to take a nap," he replied as he stretched a little and gave a yawn. "How about you? How did you get here?" Kaoru only pointed at the tree she climbed. Following her finger, Kenshin saw the tree by the fence that divided their buildings. He smiled as he shook his head.
"You didn't get hurt now did you? You should be more careful," he said as he looked at her gently. Kaoru only shrugged in indifference and decided to spend her free forty-five minutes lying on Kenshin's chest making him lean back on the tree.
Kenshin only held her waist as she gave another yawn. "Have you eaten?" he asked. Kaoru nodded, "Have you?" she asked. Kenshin nodded.
"What did you have?" Kenshin leaned back and closed his eyes. "Sushi and some riceballs."
"Ken-chan?" Kenshin gave a grunt acknowledgement. "Can you also make me rice balls for lunch tomorrow."
At this Kenshin smiled, "I'll even make it until you tell me to stop, but…only if you will accompany me. How about we eat lunch here? Just be careful with getting here." Kaoru nodded.
Kaoru lifted her head and looked at Kenshin. "Sleep, Ken-chan. I'll wake you up ten minutes before bell." Kenshin gave her a smile and slept. Kaoru looked at him for a while and then leaned back onto him. She waited for the time to pass.
To soon, the time had come for her to leave and for her to wake Kenshin up for the afternoon classes.
"Ken-chan." She shook him a little eliciting a small groan.
"Ken-chan." She shook him a little harder, which made him tighten his grip around her waist.
"Oof," she cried as Kenshin drew her nearer. Exasperated she blew a bang from her eyes and looked at Kenshin whose face was now so close that she could actually see the individual hairs of his eyelashes. She looked at his closed eyelids, half expecting them to open. When it didn't, she wrinkled her nose and then brushed her finger lightly on his nose. Kenshin wrinkled his nose. Kaoru couldn't help but giggle at his scrunched up face. But then she remembered what she was trying to do in the first place.
"Come on, Ken-chan," she said as she leaned her face so that their foreheads touched and their noses brushed against each other.
"Come on or you'll miss your classes," she urged as she shook her head making her nose brush against his. Kenshin groaned and opened one eye lazily. Seeing her up close, he smiled. He let her loose and stretched somewhat. Kaoru sat up and just looked at him, when Kenshin stopped he looked at her and smiled lazily. "Thanks."
"No problemo," she cried as she gave him a small salute. With that she got up and straightened herself. He did likewise. As she turned to go back, he grabbed her from the back and hugged her and then kissed the back of her head.
"Be careful," he whispered causing her to giggle as his breath tickled her. And then he let her go and watched her climb the tree and over the fence. He went towards it and placed his hand over hers , which was holding on to the fence.
Kaoru looked up and smiled at him reassuringly.
"Let's go out," he said. Kaoru raised her eyebrows at him. He was shocked at his outburst as well, but thought more nothing of it. He was slightly anxious as she gave him a tentative look. He soon let out his breath he didn't know he held as she gave him a smile.
"Sure. So far no homework, hopefully there will be none," too soon the warning bell rang and they had to part ways.
Kenshin jogged to his class with a light heart for some he didn't quite understand. But he soon shrugged it away.
He stopped by his locker for a while and entered his classroom. Luckily he came un before the final bell rang. He sat at his usual seat. He smiled gratefully at Sano.
Sano and he became friends over the summer, as they both were at the varsity though different sports. He was in kendo as Sano was in kickboxing. Kenshin provided Sano with an anchor to hold on to. Kenshin in a way pacified Sano's violent ways, which Sano was grateful. As grateful as Sano was with Kenshin so was Kenshin to him. Sano provided him a sort of shield from unwanted girl attention, though Sano had the tendency to attract trouble. But Kenshin didn't mind. They both admired the other for their skills and easygoing ways, and even each other's honor. Though others saw them as exact opposites, Kenshin and Sano found a reliable friend in each other.
Taking his seat, Kenshin turned his head towards the window to looked at the other school beyond the fence. He smiled wistfully. The day was beginning to end, which made Kenshin glad. What should Kaoru and I do this afternoon? He thought gaily at the prospect at being with Kaoru again. He had missed her so and she was the best birthday present she could ever present to him. He smiled as he remembered how she surprised him. He smiled.
Unnoticed by him a few girls were looking at him as he gazed outside. When he smiled they couldn't help but blush at how cute he looked. They whispered among themselves and at times looked back at him. They still can't get over his change.
A prickling raised on his neck, Kenshin looked about the cause and saw a group of girls looking at him. He smiled shyly. They blushed at getting caught and so turned back to the lecture. They cannot get over my change… so am I.
He glanced at the lesson, back at the window, and then back to the lesson. Maybe if he distracted his brain enough he could actually come up with an idea where he and Kaoru can spend their afternoon.
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Kaoru waited at the gate for Kenshin patiently. She was humming a tune she caught on the way to keep herself busy. As she was about to follow a butterfly, she saw him walk home by the corner of her eye.
She looked at him and greeted him with a smile.
"So what are we doing this time?" she asked. "So far you showed me that library one time, and then some music shops, and some small tracks, and then the ice rink." She said as she counted the places with her fingers.
Kenshin shrugged, "I don't know what I can show you anymore."
"Hoy, baka deshi, come here and give me five hundred strokes!"
Kenshin sighed, I guess that is what I'll be doing, how about you?" Kenshin asked. Kaoru rubbed her chin in thought, and then she clapped her hands. She looked up at him, "I guess I'll be watching you."
Kenshin laughed, "Suit yourself." With that they entered his home. They separated as Kenshin made his way to his room to change as Kaoru went immediately to the dojo.
But as she passed Kenshin's room, a piece of paper caught her eye. She took hold of it and saw a name. Tomoe, it read. She turned it around. It was a picture, a picture of a very pretty girl. Now, what would Kenshin be doing with this? She was pale, but not as pale as Kaoru. She had a healthy blush, Kaoru envied. But she soon concentrated at her eyes. They were somewhere between the color red and purple. The girl was smiling.
Kaoru leaned on the wall by Kenshin's door. She heard some movement meaning he was still changing. She rubbed her head in thought, and then she clapped her hands in delight. She looked back at the photo. So this is THE Tomoe. She grinned. She pouted in thought and then knocked at Kenshin's door.
Kenshin just had finished tying his gi when answered his door. A grinning Kaoru who had a gleam in her eye greeted him. Where have I seen that gleam before? He asked himself. When she raised her hand, did he see the object of her amusement. He made a grab for the photo. But Kaoru got it out of his reach at the last moment.
"How did you come by this, Ken-chan?" she asked playfully as she opened his palm and handed it to him soundly. He could only blush. He went inside his room and then got out… still blushing. She followed him to the dojo like she had gotten a new toy, while he refused to look her in the eye.
That was how he saw them as they entered. Kenshin's shishou shook his head and instructed Kenshin to practice and went out to get his sake. Kids.
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Thinking their situation, he found them to be odd couple of friends, him a fourteen-year-old with a ten-year-old kid. He wondered how it came to be. They were young when they became friends. They met when they were children. After a week they were separated. After four years were together again. Three more years passed with them in different schools, and as luck would have it, Kaoru was in the same town with him (though she was in a different school).
He shook his head and concentrated on completing his strokes. Kaoru meanwhile had her own thoughts to contend with.
Tomoe was pretty and would be a great match for her friend. She pondered on how to get them together. It was then that Kaoru became resolute to help Kenshin woo Tomoe. But before that –
"Ken-chan?" she called out. Kenshin gave a slight nod to acknowledge that he heard her.
"How did you meet Tomoe-san?" she asked. He stopped and looked at her who feigned innocence.
He let out a sigh. I guess I should have told her sooner. I just knew, it could not be kept from her. Then with a resolute sigh he faced her.
"Once there was a young boy who had red hair and purple eyes. Others saw him as different and so other kids picked him on. He sought help and one came to answer. She was beautiful. He gaped when he first saw her. He thought of her as his angel. She saved him from his loneliness, as she became his inspiration to become strong and be better. That boy was me. And his angel was Tomoe Yukishiro betrothed to Akira," he narrated.
He looked at Kaoru and was surprised her in a pensive mood. He approached her, and it was then they both heard it… the rumble of Kaoru's stomach.
"Hehe, guess I'm hungry," Kaoru said sheepishly as she scratched her head with one hand and her stomach with the other.
Kenshin only sweat dropped and the matter disappeared as Kaoru gobbled down the food.
