Disclaimer: I don't own RK.
A/N: The tenth chappie! Thx to everyone who reviewed the ninth!
StormHornet – I totally agree! Kenshin is a 'mangy little girly man with long girly red hair and his little girly pink gi'! –snort laugh choke-
royal blueKitsune – I agree. We should wring his neck, but only if he doesn't do something nice next chappie!
Rurouni-maxi – you're welcome! I was happy to review! But yeah… Kenshin's a meany-face… and Yamagata asked Kaoru to call him Aritomo because it's his first name… uh… yeah…
nilnil – Red haired tomato guy! OMG! You are now my favourite person! –laughs- Red haired tomato guy! –laughs harder-
TinyTERI – Don't hate me! –weep- I'm sorry, I know I'm mean to poor Kaoru-chan!
Reignashii – Hahaha; you're so funny! Nyahahahahaha yourself!
Recap –
"Some of my friends dared me to ask you out. It was a whole set up. When I looked upset when Aoshi kissed you and when Enishi hugged you… that was all part of the plan."
My whole world fell apart. "Nani?" tears filled up in my eyes. "I – I can't believe I …" That was all I got out before I burst into tears. I turned on my heel and ran far, far away.
Before The Dawn – Chapter 10
Kenshin looked after her with a guilty look on his face. He hadn't expected her reaction to be like that.
His friends came out from some trees. "That was great, Kenshin!" exclaimed Cho, laughing so hard that he was doubled over.
"Heh… yeah… great." Kenshin offered a weak half-smile.
"Yeah," continued Cho, "I would never have the courage to dump one of the Kamiyas! Kenshin, buddy, that was amazing! I mean –"
Anji hit Cho on the shoulder, which nearly knocked him over. "Shut up, Cho," Anji said loudly. "Kenshin is having trouble coping with the dumping of a beautiful girl." Anji snickered.
The grin on Cho's face grew wider. "You didn't tell us that you liked her!"
"Are you sad now, Kenshin?" Anji taunted.
"You better not be sad, Himura Kenshin!" said a female voice from the darkness. Raikoji Chizuru appeared. "You have got me, so forget Miss Kamiya."
Cho was laughing again. "You mean, when Enishi flirted with Kaoru and you looked mad – that wasn't an act?"
Kenshin blushed and looked at his feet. "Its not my fault. She is really nice… and it was really mean of you guys to make me –"
"Make you?" Anji said incredulously. "Make you? When we said the idea you went, 'Aww, yeah! You call that a dare?'"
Cho exclaimed, "You only agreed so willingly because you like her!" then, of course, Cho started guffawing again.
Anji, Chizuru and Kenshin looked at Cho.
Kenshin said, "Will you shut up, Cho?" He shrugged Chizuru off, Kenshin muttered, "I'll see you all later," and walked away.
"Are you going to see your girlfriend?" Teased Cho.
From behind Kenshin, there came the sound of two people hitting another over the head. Cho made no more comments.
I ran far away, into the woods and to the waterfall where I crumpled against a tree, sobbing. My friends had called for me but I ignored them. I punched this tree and kept crying. I had believed him! I had believed that he really liked me! I should have known. It figures. He brags so much, how could he be not full of himself? With his friends Cho and Anji always hanging around him, snickering. All of those looks, a lie. Nothing was true. He is probably laughing away right now, with his friends. And Raikoji Chizuru.
I heard a twig snap behind me. I whirled around, my tears flying through the air. I saw a flash of red hair. Him! How dare he!
But I just kept crying. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and slapped that person so hard I heard them falling to the ground.
There hand was on my shoulder and this time they spoke. "Kaoru…"
It was Kenshin. "Get away!" I screamed at him. "Get the hell away!"
He seemed surprised at the amount of tears falling down my face. Suddenly everything in front of me blurred as Kenshin pulled me into a strong embrace.
"Kaoru…" he whispered into my hair. "I'm sorry… I didn't know I meant that much… I feel so horrible –"
"And you should!" I cried, pulling away. "You are a horrible, horrible man who just likes to toy with women and I pity any woman who falls for you!"
I could tell that had stung him. And yet, a moment later, he is once again pulling me into his embrace. "I always liked you… I just never admitted it to my friends. And then they challenged me to this dare and I said yes… it was a chance to get close to you, Kaoru. Why else did I say yes?"
"Because you are a cruel man. And," I snarled, "let me guess. Your friends are waiting in the trees so you can break my heart again, ne?"
Kenshin winced, but held fast to my shaking form. "Gomen nasai…"
"You laughed, Kenshin! You laughed when you said it was a dare! You expect me to believe that you love me after you laugh at my pain?"
"My friends were watching, Kaoru!"
"So?" I near screamed. "What does that matter? Your friends were watching? To hell with your friends! You laughed. Do you feel the need to show off in front of your friends, Kenshin? Or, was it a bet? If you laughed at me would you get some sort of prize?"
Kenshin quieted, and let go of me. "I said I was sorry. And I am. I am really, really sorry."
"And you expect me to just fall back in love with you because you said you were sorry?" I pointed at him. My voice was very loud. What did it matter?
By the look on his face I could tell I had been right.
"Well, Himura Kenshin, you were wrong." I turned my back on him.
I heard him leave. I did not feel much better after my yelling fit, so I resumed crying. I do not know how long I cried for, but I couldn't stop. Sure, my head was aching so, but it did not matter.
Eventually I heard someone approach. I turned, expecting it to be Kenshin, but found it to be Sanosuke.
His mouth hung open in astonishment. "Kaoru!" he exclaimed, and came over. He saw my tears. "We have search parties searching all the way to Shiro! What is wrong?" he wrapped his arms around me.
"Kenshin only asked me to dinner because he was dared to!" It sounded so stupid out loud.
Sanosuke didn't seem to think so, as he froze. "Nani?" Then Sanosuke grew very angry. "He did that to you?" Sanosuke growled. "I'll kill him. I will."
I sniffed. That did sound like right punishment. Even if he had apologized. "He did apologize afterward…" I trailed off, not finding the urge to defend Kenshin. Sano ignored me. "Come, Kaoru. Tomoe is worried about you and Father will probably be furious. You know how he does not have a heart."
I nearly laughed. Sanosuke thought so low of Father. "Alright then." And I followed Sanosuke out of the woods. "How did you know I was here anyway?"
Sanosuke smiled, a twinkle in his eye, and said, "It was a feeling."
I smiled back and we walked along in silence until we reached my house, where I knew my doom waited. Shakily, I walked in. Tomoe stood to the corner of the room and looked up when we arrived. "Sanosuke! There you are –" her eyes widened when she saw me. "Kaoru!" she cried, and rushed over, enveloping me in one of her strong hugs.
"Tomoe!" I managed.
"Kaoru! Where were you? I was worried sick, I was!" Tomoe sneaked a look at Father. "Father is not best pleased." She whispered. "So where were you?"
"I was…" just the thought of what Kenshin did brought tears to my eyes. I told Tomoe the story and I included that he apologized, and she said right out that we would go out and talk with Kenshin. "But now you have to deal with Father," she said in an undertone.
I turned and saw Father glowering at me. "Where were you? You idiot girl! How could you just disappear like that? Tomoe gave me word that you were missing and I had to cut my meeting with Yamagata-san short! Do you know how that reflects on me?"
He started to yell again and I, for the first time in my 17 years, just walked straight. I ignored his yelling, and just headed up to my room. Then, deciding to be indescribably bold, I turned around, went back into the room and said, "You may be my Father but you cannot yell at me at will now without my saying something. Ever since mother died you have done nothing but yell and scold us. So now I am no longer just a silent, good girl who wilts under your anger, I am a strong 17 year old who will shout back at you if you shout at me." Then, saying no more, I walked out of the house. My Father was silent.
TBC…A/N: 10 chapters! I'm proud of myself! LOL. Review please!
