Kono Sekai no Katasumi de
Kenshin tilted his head and watched as the sky lit up with fireworks. It was the annual Sakura festival and sakura blossoms floated around them. He chuckled as Suzume-chan and Ayame-chan tried to tackle Yahiko down. Sano was having one heck of a time as he tired to take his chances with Megumi, while Kaoru, his eyes narrowed as he tried to see where Kaoru was. Tae and Tsubame were at one side enjoying the view with Genzai-sensei, but Kaoru was nowhere to be seen. He was so intent on looking for his raven haired shihondai that he had failed to notice that the very person he was looking for was already sneaking behind him with a devious smile on her lips. Motioning for the others who have now noticed her to be quiet, Kaoru grinned dangerously before she ducked down and jumped up behind him with a laughing voice, dumping sakura blossoms all over him.
"OROOOOO!"
Sano and Megumi blinked and turned to what had caused their Rurouni to yelp out that loud while the little girls were laughing gaily. "Kaoru-san got Ken-nii! Kaoru-san scared Ken-nii!" they both yelled.
Kaoru chuckled as she grinned and dropped down beside him. Kenshin shook his head and looked at the laughing girl beside him. He smiled at her, giving his trademark 'oro' at her. She smiled gently at him as her hand brushed the remaining sakura blossoms from his hair before she tucked her hands under the sleeves of her dark green kimono.
She tilted her head to the side when the rest of her friends came close to them and sat down. Kaoru smiled and started to hum and closed her eyes. It was only a few moments that she had felt the gazes of her friends and stopped. She opened her eyes and saw that all of them were looking at her curiously. She smiled happily to all of them.
"It's been a year now… a year since we've all met…" she whispered. At the reactions of her friends, she knew that they all understood what she had just voiced out. As Tsubame and Tae stood, Suzume and Ayame-chan ran towards the riverside with Genzai-sensei following them. Tsubame and Tae chuckled and followed the old doctor.
Yahiko grinned at the sight Genzai-sensei made as he ran with the two girls. Looking back to Kaoru to tease her, he stopped short when he saw silent tears course their way through her cheeks.
"Kaoru?"
The raven haired shihondai looked down at her student with questioning eyes. His eyes widened even more as he took in her sad eyes. "Daijobou?" he whispered
Kaoru blinked at his question and gasped when she felt a calloused hand wipe the tears from her face. Her eyes flew towards the red head who was looking at her worriedly. She then felt Megumi wrap her arms around her shoulders, she turned her head and saw Sano gaping at her worriedly.
"Kaoru-chan… what's wrong?"
She blinked and gasped when even more tears spilled from her eyes. She shook her head vigorously as she tried to stand and run, but Megumi's arms prevented her form going anywhere. She looked up at the female doctor and felt the sadness overwhelm her. She buried her face in the older woman's arm and sobbed quietly, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. She had felt the sadness overwhelm he from nowhere when she had whispered that a year had passed since their first meeting, reminding her of her past, the sadness, the fear. She had found her family with these new people, and she was so afraid of the time that they would have to part ways… a certain former hitokiri included.
Megumi sighed sadly and bit her lip to fight the tears forming in her own eyes when she heard the young girl's admission. Her fears were far from the truth, the time would come where they would eventually have to part ways. Her arms tightening around the girl whom she had considered a younger sister. Sano watched with increasing worry as Megumi's own eyes misted with tears. Yahiko's eyes were wide with confusion and worry as he eyed the two older women. Kenshin watched worriedly as to what could have made Kaoru cry. All of them were happy at one moment but then when Kaoru had mentioned that it had been a year since they had all met, Kaoru had then turned quiet and it was then that Yahiko had noticed the tears on Kaoru's face.
His amethyst eyes widened when he had heard the young girl's quiet admission to the doctor, even Sano and Yahiko had heard since they leaned even closer to listen. He bit his lip and clenched his hands… they all knew that Kaoru was such a strong girl that had managed through one hell of a life all by herself, but they never really knew how hard it was for her. He looked at the two as Megumi stroked the young swordswoman's hair in comfort. As Kaoru lifted her head, and she smiled a little between her sniffles, she wiped her eyes slowly with one hand before she grinned ruefully at her friends.
"Gomen ne minna-san…" she whispered
Yahiko shook his head, "Not your fault Kaoru…"
Megumi smiled and held Kaoru's hand. "We all understand, Kaoru-chan…"
"Ei, jou-chan…"
Kaoru turned her head and looked at the rooster head. He smiled charmingly at her, "No matter what happens, we'll always stay together…"
Yahiko grinned up at her. "Yep! We're the Kenshin-gumi and nothing will ever keep us apart!"
Megumi stroked her hair gently, "Even when we're all far apart, we'll always stay together…here…" she pointed right at Kaoru's heart.
Kaoru smiled and gently hummed. At the tune of her hum, the entire Kenshin-gumi smiled.
Kenshin shook his head, "Maa… sessha isn't good with singing but I'll try to join with this one…"
All of them laughed at that when Kaoru started to sing.
Totemo chiisana deai kara Sore wa hajimatte yuku
Hitori, mata hitori otozure
Sore wa monogatari ni naru
Kenshin winced and sang as well…
Wakariau tame ni kizutsuita
Namida no Tsuyosa ga Itsuka Kitto
The rest of them gaped at Kenshin as Yahiko muttered, "And that's what he call's that he doesn't know how to sing! Seesh!" Kaoru merely shook her head and smiled ruefully at the Rurouni beside her and joined in singing with him.
Kimi wa dare wo mamotte yuku darou
Kakegae naku omou darou
Kimi wa dare to deatte yuku darou
Kono sekai no katasumi de
Sano chuckled as he now joined in.
Tsuyoku naritai to omotta
Yume wo orareta yoru ni
Yahiko grinned as he held his head up and sang
Dakedo Hitori ja nai koto ne
Kimi ga oshiete kureta ne
Megumi flushed lightly as she joined in
Furimuku egao no Mukou gawa
Hirogaru Sore e to Itsuka Kitto
All of them grinned at each other as they all sang together.
Kimi wa dare wo shinjite yuku darou
Ai shitai to negau darou
Donna tooku hanarete shimatte mo
Kimi no basho wa Koko ni aru
Kaoru tilted her head and smiled at all of her friends, closing her eyes, memories of the past assailed her that brought more tears in her eyes as she sang her part.
Kaze ga ato taete mo
Toki ga nagarete mo
Kitto Kitto Wasurenai
Kenshin held her hand and moved closer to her, enveloping her in his arms as they all continued to sing together.
Kimi wa dare wo mamotte yuku darou
Kakegae naku omou darou
Kimi wa dare to deatte yuku darou
Kono sekai no katasumi de
Coming to a decision, Kenshin tilted his head until it rested on her forehead, his voice calming the fears in her heart.
Kimi wa dare wo shinjite yuku darou
Ai shitai to negau darou
Kaoru felt the tears fall from her eyes with happiness as she leaned her head on the crook of his shoulders as she joined in his song
Donna tooku hanarete shimatte mo
Kimi no basho wa Koko ni aru
Sano wrapped his own arms around Megumi as she smiled up at him, Yahiko grinning from ear to ear as they all launched into the song.
Kimi wa dare wo mamotte yuku darou
Kakegae naku omou darou
Kimi wa dare to deatte yuku darou
Kono sekai no katasumi de
Kono sekai no katasumi de
Kenshin held her hand on whispered gently in her ear, "I promise you'll never have to be alone anymore, koishii…"
Kaoru leaned her body closer to his, "Promise?" came the soft whisper
"Hai…" came the soft husky whisper, "That is… if you'll have me…"
Kaoru's eyes then widened as she looked deep into his eyes and down and gasped out loud when she saw the sapphire ring gleaming in the soft evening light. Her eyes flew back up to his as she felt him slip the ring in her finger. The soft question still evident in his eyes.
Kaoru squealed in response as she launched herself in his arms. "Yes!"
Sano laughed out loud at Kaoru's reaction. Megumi and Yahiko chuckled at them. Kaoru laughed out loud as she stared at her friends reactions. She smiled happily and leaned back into his embrace as they all continued to watch the fireworks…
Feeling the hand latched on to hers, Kaoru sighed happily as she felt another arm snake around her and wrap themselves protectively and almost a bit possessively around her waist.
I no longer have to be alone… she thought happily.
She looked up to face the man beside her. Bringing one of her hands to his scarred cheek. "Aishiteru, Kenshin…"
He smiled happily down at her, his amethyst eyes gleaming with love. "Aishiteru, koishii…"
"Kimi no basho wa Koko ni aru" she whispered to him.
He tilted his head and smiled lovingly down at her, as he looked up, the rest of the gumi smiled happily back at them.
The future glimmered brightly before them all, even if they all go to their separate ways, this shall always and forever be their home… their family.
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AN: Hello minna! Well, I hope you all like this little song fic of mine! I just got this song a few days ago and couldn't help write a story about it since I really loved the song and it's message… (got to love the way they all sang ne! Sano, kaoru and kenshin! Yatta!) reviews minna!
Aoi-chan
(Oh… and by the way, if you're all curious as to what the song means, here it is!)
At a corner of this world
From an unsignificant encounter It went on beginning
Alone, again a visit alone
That became a story
You were hurt to understand
The strength of tears Someday Certainly
I wonder whom you shall go out to defend
Perhaps without thought
I wonder whom you shall go out to meet
At a corner of this world
I thought I wanted to be strong
You told me
"But you're not alone"
At the far side of the smile when you turn your face
The spreading skies Someday Certainly
I wonder whom you shall go out to believe
Perhaps I think you'd like to love
No matter how far away you are
You're place shall always be here
Even if the winds take away the footprints Even if time passes
Certainly Certainly I shall not forget
I wonder whom you shall go out to defend
Perhaps without I thought
I wonder whom you shall go out to meet
At a corner of this world
I wonder whom you shall go out to believe
Perhaps I think you'd like to love
No matter how far away you are
You're place shall always be here
I wonder whom you shall go out to defend
Perhaps without I thought
I wonder whom you shall go out to meet
At a corner of this world