Hello guys! I'm sorry I was late in updating...again. But this chapter was hard to think of. I mean I was thinking it might be too soon for Kaoru and maybe I should go with this and that idea. But I realized I'm really just wasting time (Why didn't I see that before!). Anyway, now I think (but you never know) I have more time at my disposal because I just graduated from High School like 3 days ago. But still there's college admissions and papers to work at and you know, college stuff. Like a dorm and books and all that. It's actually stressing that this school I wanted to go to has quite a lot of cute guys, the only downside is that most of them are probably gay or has a tendency to be one so...whatever. But there's an all-boys college across the street! (So, yippee for me!). Okay, I'm acting weird, I know... read on
23 Disappearing and Reappearing
The next few days were vague yet hard. Kaoru tried as much as she could to regain memories lost and it wasn't long before one friend was lost to their household. That day, after Kaoru had regained a considerable amount of her old self, Soujiro Seta, child prodigy and a friend, packed his things to start a life of his own.
Of course, Kaoru did not take this lightly. Upon hearing this news, she burst into tears like any normal child except of course that she wasn't a child. The Kenshin-gumi waved their goodbyes with a heavy heart but life had to go on.
"Why do you have to leave? I thought you were having a good time!" Kaoru said at Soujiro who now has packed his belongings and was about to be greeted goodbye at the dojo gates.
"I'm sorry, Miss Kaoru. I already made plans even before I got here. I stayed merely by the request of Mr. Himura and your other friends to help you feel at ease with them since I seemed to have had a positive reaction coming from you."
"But we'll meet again won't we?"
"Of course, Miss Kaoru. You might never know when you'll see me again."
Kenshin put a comforting hand on Kaoru shoulder when she finally succumbed to letting dear Soujiro go. As a means to uplift her downed spirits, Kenshin decided to take her out to town. There he showed to her many a good thing pleasing to a woman's eye.
For a few moments, Kaoru was indeed astounded by the vendors lined up in dozens selling numerous ornaments, flowers, kerchiefs, sweets and different textiles. How many beautiful kimonos she could make out of those! One thing caught her eye though, as she detached herself from the rurouni (who was busy picking cucumbers), one man caught her attention.
She could hear her heart beat faster and she involuntarily let out a loud gasp. The man beckoned her to him. She looked around for any sign of Kenshin but he was not there. The man signaled for her to come again when she realized one thing. "He doesn't know I'm regaining my memories..." She balled her fists as she contemplated on what this man did to her. "I'll end this once and for all..."
She came to the man she had known to be her "master" in her darkest hours. "Ah... Kotori, my dear Kotori. I'm glad to see they're letting you loose and about."
"They seemed determined to get me to their side, Master. I think I convinced that foolish Battousai that I love him." she said while deep inside all she wanted to do was to beat the man up. But this was not a time to be rash. She was in a disadvantage here, Kurosaki Reiji is a cunning man, who knows what he's hiding?
"That's okay. In fact, that's wonderful. You just keep playing that part and I'll set you free soon. Now, what we'll do is to meet during the night outside the dojo and there we will make our getaway. Is that alright with you, Kotori?"
"Yes, master." she said as if in a trance.
The man raised his hand to touch her face and Kaoru could not do anything except to stay still, keep reminding herself that there's a right time to fight and a time to act up.
"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to save you."
"That is alright, master."
"Well you should go now. They might be wondering where you are now."
She nodded her head and went back to where she left Kenshin. Taking one final glance at Reiji she bowed her head and whispered to Kenshin to take her home.
"This is my fight and mine alone. I should be the only one facing it."
That was it! Chapter 23 down about 7 more chapters to go! Phew! Also read my other story, "Our Own Ghosts" It's just 10 chapters long so, it's not as long as this one. Also there's no fights or whatever in there just people crying...