Kenshin and Kaoru visits the town, what will happen. Pure K/K moment! I haven't done this before right?
Don't let this chapter's title fool you… it's just from the inner depths of my mind, after removing all the cobwebs in my slightly used brain, I stumbled upon this title
11 Instant Celebrities
Kenshin and Kaoru had arrived in town after much bickering, on Kaoru's part. Kenshin would just look at her in stony silence and alas, the maiden had succumbed to her defeat. She didn't bother with Kenshin anymore until they arrived at town. The handcuffs brought them closer (physically). People were looking at their direction. Neither of them were happy about the attention they've brought upon themselves.
"See, Miyuki, if you grow up to be a fine lady you just might have a boyfriend just like that…" a mother pointed at the two's direction. Kenshin felt himself ebbing away from the people's stares. Kaoru's ears went pink upon hearing the mother's comment.
Kaoru was muttering to herself about people minding their own business. She strode faster towards the inn, eager to get away from people's attentions. Kenshin could see at his side some girls giggling at the sight of them.
"Maybe they're having a quarrel…"
"They can't be married yet, they look so young…. "
"Do you think he's got a brother? Maybe, he's just as cute as him."
Kaoru heard this too and at the mention of marriage, she tripped. Kenshin, acting on reflexes, held her waist and turned her around. Kaoru who was shocked only looked at him. The public gasped in unison.
"Sugoi! That was cool! I think I'll do that to Sayuri sometime…" one of the men exclaimed.
"How cute! I wish someone would do that to me too."
"It's good to be in love!"
"They're obviously together!"
Kaoru felt herself blush. Kenshin quickly removed his hand from her waist and scratched his head with his free hand.
"Oh! The cute guy's so shy!"
"Do you think they just got together?"
"You should watch your step…" Kenshin said in a voice much smaller than normal.
Kaoru, not being able to take it anymore, stomped off. Kenshin ,of course close on her tracks.
"Don't they have anything better to do other than stick their nose on other people's business?!"
Luckily, one old lady told the other people that they shouldn't bother Kenshin and Kaoru anymore.
"They might get into a quarrel"
Kenshin sighed, "Finally!" he thought
"Yeah! A lover's quarrel"
There was a groan from both Kenshin and Kaoru. She pulled him and went towards the inn.
Kenshin thought that now that people can't see them anymore, the people would go about their businesses again. When he entered the inn, he knew he was wrong. Kaoru tugged him and went to a lady. They both greeted her.
"You don't talk too much do you?" the lady glanced at Kenshin and added "you didn't tell anyone you have a boyfriend!"
The woman patted Kaoru's back and smiled at Kenshin. Kaoru was fuming, he could see smoke coming from her ears.
"He's not! Why does everyone thinks he's my boyfriend?!" Kaoru said in a would- be-calm tone.
"Oh sorry, Is he your husband then?"
Kenshin decided this is the best time to butt in.
"I'm only her friend, that I am."
"That's what they always say." The lady still didn't believed them.
Kaoru decided it was best to just get her things quick and then leave. She dragged Kenshin behind her. Another woman winked at Kaoru and pointed at Kenshin. Kaoru glared daggers at Kenshin.
"Try something funny and you'll regret it!"
"Hai, hai…"
They went upstairs and took Kaoru's things. It seemed like she went shopping when she got here, Kenshin noted. Kaoru took out the kimono she bought.
"Ah! I don't doubt now why you insists on getting it back Ka—Kotori."
Kaoru was still staring at him.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Kenshin begun touching his face, looking for that something.
Kaoru giggled. She wanted to scold him for not adding the honorific but upon seeing Kenshin's reaction, she couldn't stop herself from giggling. Kenshin just laughed with her.
"Why am I laughing anyway?" Kenshin asked himself but decided that he didn't care. He was happy that people were teasing them to be lovers, which is the truth before Kaoru lost her memory. He loved seeing Kaoru's reaction to what people said. He looked at her from under his bangs. She was still laughing.
Finally when they have finished packing her things, they went outside. Kaoru paid for her bills. The lady was still there. She seemed trying to stop herself from blurting something out. When she finally couldn't stop herself, she asked.
"If you're just friends, why don't you stop holding each other's hands?" she pointed at their cuffed hands.
"People get the wrong idea you know. And you shouldn't lie either. You're quite obvious." Then she went away.
Of couse! Kenshin realized just now that their sleeves were covering their hands. So that's why they all think we're lovers! They thought we were holding hands. He looked at Kaoru, her thoughts seemed in line with his. She shot him an accusing stare.
"Gomen… I never thought people would interpret it like that." He half expected for Kaoru to pull his hair and choke him, but, she didn't. Instead, she just sighed and turned to leave.
Suddenly a man called out to them both. It was a short man holding a camera. Befuddled, they just stared at him.
"Ano… can I take a picture of you two?"
Kaoru who was slightly surprised said, "Why?!"
"I thought you two look good together and I think I can take a picture of you before I go."
"We don't really need that" Kenshin said. Then they both turned to leave
"I'll pay you…" the man said, almost pleading.
"Why would you do that?" Kenshin asked questioningly, he was getting suspicious. Kaoru seemed to agree.
"You see, I'm planning an exhibit soon, and well, can you pause for me?"
They both seemed to think it through. There's nothing bad about the offer really. Plus, they're low in cash, they haven't brought a single yen with them except for Kaoru's payment for the bill at the inn. Kenshin shrugged and asked Kaoru.
"I'm only doing this for the money."
No sooner had she spoken those words were they already in a room. The man was ready. They were in front of the camera now.
"Uh…what're we supposed to do now?" Kenshin asked.
"You put your arms around her" the man said casually.
"What?!" Kaoru exclaimed. She looked at Kenshin. "Why should I do that?!"
"Well, it will be ugly if you just stood there, doing nothing, Come on now, put your arm around her" he instructed Kenshin.
Kenshin first looked at Kaoru. "Just think about the money." He said. Kaoru shrugged. Kenshin has hugged her before, why should this one be different? Plus, they'll get paid. She nodded and he was about to put his arm around her when his sleeve revealed the handcuffs.
"What's that for?" The photographer asked them.
"Our friends pulled a prank." Kenshin hastily explained.
The man went to them he put Kenshin's arm around Kaoru so that her left palm rested on her right shoulder. Kenshin's right wrist which was on the other side of the handcuffs rested above her palm. His other hand were on Kaoru's waist. The man put Kaoru's other hand on top of Kenshin's hand on her waist. (can you picture it?)
The man backed away a few steps. "That's good. Look at him." Kaoru did as she was told. Her face was only inches from him now. She couldn't break the eye contact. Kenshin thought she looked nervous.
They could feel each other's breath on their faces.
"My breath doesn't stink, does it?" Kenshin asked her and then smiled. Kaoru smiled and her eyes twinkled, then they saw a flash of light.
"Done!" The two of them who seemed to have forgotten the situation they are in kept staring at each other. Kenshin smiled at her again.
She smiled back.
Smile again.
She smiled back
Smile again
The photographer was looking at them with that sheepish look again He went back and another flash of light was seen.
This broke Kenshin and Kaoru from what seemed to have been a trance. They broke away from each other.
"Was that good enough?" Kaoru asked, out of finding nothing else to say.
"Yes, best picture yet! Would you like to see the result?"
Kenshin found the result interesting. "Sure, would it take long? We have a train ride to catch…"
"I'm using a new kind, so, its faster… "
They waited for the result of their picture.
"I made two, which one would you like? I have to keep the other one of course."
He handed them both a picture. He was right, Kaoru hated to admit to herself, We look good together… Kenshin was examining the other picture.
"Your eyes seemed to sparkle here, this one looks good. May I see that one?" She gave him the picture she was holding.
"They both look good. I can't decide" Kenshin looked like he was asking her something, although he was smiling. That's the first one, the one after he asked me about his breath. Kaoru thought. The other one is when they both looked like they were having a silent laughter.
They left the decision to the photographer. He just picked one with his eyes closed, he got the one where they both seemed to be just smiling.
"I think I'll entitle this "Silent Laughter". I can give it back to you after the exhibit if you want. Just tell me your address." Kenshin seemed like he wanted that one so he gave him the address to the dojo. The man paid them as promised and they left.
"Well, what do we do with this?" Kaoru asked him while she was showing him the money. Kenshin just shrugged, he didn't really know.
"Are you hungry?" Kenshin asked her, she shook her head. "But I could use some of those sweets." She pointed at a store.
Kenshin bought some sweets and was about to give them to Kaoru when he noticed she was looking at something else, trying to suppress a smile. He turned to look at what it was, it was vendor selling some flowers. He gave Kaoru the pouch containing the sweets and pulled her to go with him. He stopped in front of the vendor. One iris caught his attention and he paid for it. Kaoru looked puzzled when he gave the flower to her. He took the sweets and the picture from her
He could hear people whispering behind him. He chose to ignore them while watching Kaoru bring the flower up to her nose to smell it. She blushed, looked down on the ground and murmured "thank you."
He decided that they should just trek through the less frequently used road so as to avoid the mass of attention they acquired earlier. Kaoru seemed happy about this and seemed contented smelling her flower. So, they walked side by side (with the handcuffs of course!) and Kenshin wished this moment would last.
Why did he give me this flower? I was just standing while he bought some sweets when I saw a vendor across, picking his nose. I tried not to laugh. Then suddenly he dragged me there and bought me a flower. Kaoru sniffed the flower again and thought she liked that flower very much.
"Kenshin, can I take a look at the picture again?" Kenshin handed her the picture and she looked at it again. She was glad they had this one, she liked it. Kenshin looks like he was asking her something, it was only shown in his eyes. And her own were twinkling. "Yes, we look good together". She turned to look at Kenshin who was quiet all the time. She was surprised to find herself face to face with the rurouni again.
He backed away a bit, ready to utter an apology. He was looking over her shoulder, he was looking at the picture too. She opened her mouth to say something, when suddenly she stopped.
What was she supposed to say? She couldn't find words to tell him. Kenshin respected her. Why? He was supposed to be a ruthless killer who will use anybody to get what he wants. Why does it seem so wrong. She just decided to keep on walking.
Why is she so quiet? One moment, she seemed ready to scold me again, then the next, she's become quiet. He decided to walk on.
Kaoru was smelling the flower while looking at the picture at the same time. She stared hard at the picture, then, she felt her temples throbbing. She thought she saw Kenshin holding a bucket, in it was an iris. But as quick as the image came to her, the sooner it disappeared. She tried to grasp it. She knew what it was, a memory. Her head was throbbing with pain now.
"Itai" Kenshin heard Kaoru. He was lost in thoughts when he heard her. She was holding the side of her head. He clasped her hand into his and tentatively, went in front of her and placed his other hand on her shoulder, soothing her.
"It's alright." He brushed some of her hair back and tucked it behind her ear.
She looked up at him, tears were forming at the corner of her eyes.
"Kenshin, I…."
"Oi! Kenshin! Hurry up!" Sano and the others were already waiting for them. "We're gonna miss the train!"
Kaoru shook her head and said "it's nothing…let's go" she begun to walk away, Kenshin followed her.
See? it's a Kenshin and Kaoru moment... it's not too much, it might even be lacking...
MushyMe: Who gave you the right to say that?! You didn't even write this part, I did...
MEme: Yeah! Whatever!
FelicitousMe: Vendor picking his nose was my idea!
StoicMe: The gossipers were mine
EvilMe: I'm afraid you're losing your touch...
MEme: oh yeah?! What'd you do then?!
EvilMe: the photographer...
MEme: Well, this was my story in the first place, without me you wouldn't even be here! MWAHAHAHAHA!
StoicMe: Oh yeah... what's supposed to happen in the next chapter anyway?
MEme: zzz... zzz...zzz...zzz...zzz...zzz...zzz...
EvilMe: picks up a sign To reactivate, send reviews. Thanx
All: sighs I can't believe I came from her... sob
I have no time so I'm gonna reply to reviews in general, The handcuffs idea, I thought it was so cute! It's based on a personal experience, but I wasn't the victim, we were hooking a guy up with a GAY friend. The guy who happens to have been a friend of mine, run away from the scene so we tied our gay friend to a post instead! .
Kaoru's at a loss, but once she gathers her wits, who knows what she'll do? Also I'm turning into my ULTRA-TRANSFORMED-VACCUM -POWERED-OMEGA-AS-IN TO-THE HIGHEST-LEVEL form. phew. With schooldays nearing, I'm trying to finish a lot of chapters for the time being! I know I won't have much free time once school starts because, what can I say? My school is.......different, not to mention hard and frustrating, oh well, it's a government school whatever the hell it means.
Thanx to Starof Foam, Aya45, Lendra-chan,Destellar and half-breed-demon-fox for reviewing! Now, what'd I forget? I think that's it! See you all next time! Ow! I'm gonna miss sitting in front of the computer all day! I (kinda) hate school... Of course I'll miss you guys! Well hope to see you, er...update soon.