Sorry about taking so long…UGH! I am having a string of bad luck. Guess what I got for Christmas?
Chicken Pox. The mere mention of those dastardly things makes me shiver. Then Itch. Then shiver again.
shadow61x: Heheh…glad you're still reading! I hope it's getting better, I've put enough time into it…
iLuvJaeWon: Yeah, Battousai is hot, huh? Especially in the manga. But that's probably just my little girl dreaming, although the high ponytail is best all the way. And the whole amber-eye thing. But I never really thought he'd be cruel.
JaneDrew: Yeah, I'll have to make him help with the cooking at least a little…after all, I wouldn't want to kill of any main characters…heh heh.
Birdy06: Well, keep reading and see if you like it! Hope you enjoy the later chapters.
Anonymous miss: …uh…oops.
WhiteRabbit5: Yeah, I know what you mean. I always thought that the way they separated the two was sort of silly, you know, although it makes sense in a way. But if it means mental torture, anything goes!
racoongirl: The poor guy…MUAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, I feel sorry for him too. But it's just so fun!
Kenshinlover2002: A little strategetic insanity on my part. I am a HUGE KenKao fan, and it annoys me when they make it seem like he loved her only as much as he loved Tomoe. I mean, what happens when they both die and he has to choose? I wanted it to start out with him loving Tomoe so much, and her reminding him of Tomoe, so that it would mean so much more when she really became the Kaoru that he loves.
Oh, yeah, the story. I forgot. Thanks to the people that replied – You are my inspiration. But that may be a bad thing.
Disclaimer: No, he still doesn't belong to me. Don't gloat.
Chapter Six - Getting to Know You
"Nuts…"
Kaoru sighed as she remembered Kenshin's face, his bright smile. She wouldn't deny that he was handsome…no, she would admit that without hesitation. Kaoru wasn't a liar. Though she loved her own raven locks, she couldn't help but look at his red mane with a twinge of jealousy. And his eyes…they were captivating.
Its not so much that he's handsome...it's more like…beauty. Kaoru grinned in spite of herself. He's a beautiful man… She giggled to herself.
Though she found herself admiring Kenshin, she was not infactuated. Of that, she had no doubt. She felt nothing more than companionship when around the injured man, and, admittedly, a little relief that came with finally having a companion. But Megumi and Tae were wrong.
"Kaoru!"
Kaoru snapped out of her daydream with a jump. "Oh, it's you, Megumi. Don't scare me like that!" She turned to the beautiful woman with a small smile. "So how are you?"
"Oh, the clinic is doing well – it's been pretty busy, there has been an outbreak of influenza lately, so take care of yourself – but I'm more worried about you. How are you? And how is that patient of yours doing?" Megumi asked, worried.
Kaoru sighed. "He's been getting better pretty slowly, but I guess that's expected with that wound."
"No, dummy, what's he like?"
"Oh, that's what you mean. No, he's not dangerous. Well, he is dangerous, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't hurt me. He's been good-natured nearly all the time." Kaoru didn't want to mention the incident when he had just woken up. Best to not make her worried.
"Oh, that's good," Megumi replied, obviously relieved. She held up a large covered plate. "Well, I brought food…after all, we wouldn't want you to poison the man when he's on the road to recovery!" She let loose her trademark laughter.
"Megumi…" Kaoru growled angrily. She looked ready to murder, but took the food and put it back in her room.
"Oy! Busu!"
"Hey, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru sighed once again, aknowledging the arrival of her student.
"Don't call me chan!" The spikey-haired boy grimaced.
"Well, three's a crowd, I'd best be going now. Good-bye, Kaoru!" Megumi smiled, leaving the gates and starting the walk back to the clinic.
"What's she over here for, anyway? Teaching you cooking? Hah!" Yahiko laughed. He had had the misfortune of tasting Kaoru's food before.
"Shut up, you little idiot. Let's train – and rest assured, I won't go easy on you in the least!" Kaoru said, irritated.
"Kaoru?"
"What?"
"Don't cry when I beat you."
"Close your mouth – you've got an opening!" She yelled, and leapt at him. She made to aim for the side of his head. Yahiko dodged with a smirk and whipped his shinai around, trying to hit Kaoru's midsection. But she sidestepped behind him, ducked from his vain attempt to hit her head, and dodged to his front to hit him in his stomach.
"There's no room for ego in swordplay," She smiled down at her very concieted, very winded student. "Right, Yahiko-chan?"
"Busu," Yahiko gasped angrily. Kaoru just smiled.
"Okay, let's have a hundred good, strong, swings – you're not tired, are you, Yahiko-chan?" she said with, her words dripping with playful sarcasm.
"Shut up," He panted, hoisting himself off the ground with a menacing look. "Don't flatter yourself…I can take...anything you…throw at me…"
"So show me!" Kaoru ordered, knowing that he would work hard today. Though he could be a really annoying, loud, rude kid, he was her favorite pupil, and she thought of him almost like a little brother.
"Nyyaahh, busu, you'll always be an old maid, you know that?" He stuck his tongue out at her.
A really, really aggravating little brother. Kaoru groaned inwardly. Was she doomed to be ridiculed forever for her relationship-less state?
Yup.
"Maybe, Yahiko-chan," she said carelessly. "But so will you."
"Hey! Will not!"
"Yes, you will too. That is, unless you start to admit your feelings to Tsubame-chan over at the Akabeko sometime soon."
"Hey – that – that's not – that's none of your business, busu!" Yahiko said, flustered.
"And my life is none of yours, Yahiko. So just keep practicing those swings while I do a little of my stuff." She walked into her room and took out Megumi's still warm, delicious food. There was fish, rice, dumplings, steamed vegetables, a cup of noodles, and some ohagi.
It smells sooo good… Kaoru sighed, a little delirious from the scent. Just one bite.
No! Bad Kaoru!
She shook her head a couple times to clear it, and then brought it into the other room for Kenshin. Lucky little…
The man was sleeping, as far as she could tell, so she lay down the food next to his bed. She got up to leave, but hesitated as she noted tears on his cheek.
"I wonder…" she murmured, "what makes such a strong man weep?" She gently wiped the tears off of his face, and got up to leave once again. The aura of sadness was so strong…
Suddenly she gasped, alarmed.
"Yahiko! I forgot!" She said to herself, and quickly left the still man.
His blue eyes opened, and gazed thoughtfully into the world only he knew.
What indeed?
A/N - Honestly, I'm not that proud of this chapter. I'll try to make up for it in later chapters, though.