I know I'm late in updating. Summer vacation is up and you just lose count of the days. Does anybody reading this ever experienced smelling paint for 3 straight days? Cause it does give you major migraines! From now on, whenever I smell paint, I'm outta there!
24 What could've been the last...
Kaoru continued to stare the way she did ever since the incident that morning. Her fists, resting on her lap, tightened in resolve as she contemplated every step of her plan. However, before her plans go full circle, the household had to accommodate one unexpected guest. Saito Hajime better known as Fujita Goro was currently talking to Kenshin.
Kaoru knew that whatever the officer wished to say, she was not welcome to hear as every time she even came close to hearing distance, they would shoot her furtive glances and lower their voices in an inaudible whisper. But it didn't bother her. Whatever Saito Hajime had to say, she already knew. She came face-to-face with his news just a while ago.
"Are you sure that she has regained her memories, Himura? How can you be so sure that she wouldn't come crawling to her 'master's' side once she knew?"
"Kaoru-dono had made such a progress in the recovery of her memory that this unworthy one can assure you that she would continue to stay exactly where she belongs."
"Well, if that's what you think. I won't waste my time in your company. I have a little hunting to do."
The man was finally out of the dojo and Kaoru was able to come near Kenshin once again. The look of worry on the man's face was too much for Kaoru and she told him in a voice only he could hear, "Stop worrying Kenshin. Our problems would soon be over."
Whatever she meant by that Kenshin would soon know. At the moment however, they would have to face Misao's screaming feats. The girl had currently received a letter from her "Dear Aoshi-sama", as she calls him, which said that he would soon be arriving in Tokyo.
"Are you even sure that he's the one who wrote that? For all we know that could be Omasu or Okina using his name?"
Misao's shoulders quickly slumped as she looked at the letter again. "You maybe right, Sano. I've never seen Aoshi-sama use so many words before..." she scanned the letter gloomily once again. "But it doesn't matter. It means he's coming soon and that's that."
Megumi popped above Misao's shoulder. "Or sooner than we expected. This letter had been written a few days ago so that could mean he'd be coming any time soon." All of a sudden, a big plaster of a smile was on Misao's face when she heard this. She begun fussing with herself and left the room with some urgency that one would've thought she was having the run of her life. As it was, she was merely fixing herself to be presentable to the awaited guest. "He's going to be so surprised when he sees me!"
"What exactly is going to surprise the Ice man?" Yahiko commented with sarcasm dripping all over.
"I dunno, maybe finding out that Misao's actually a man..." Megumi side commented almost lazily.
"Aw! That wouldn't be a surprise at all. She's already half a boy." Sano joked. Suddenly, kunais were thrown in his direction and everybody had to duck in order to not get hurt.
"Hey guys! I heard that!" Misao shouted from her room.
Kenshin and Kaoru exchanged glances as they both tried to stop themselves from laughing. Kaoru stopped to watch and wished they could put everything behind them. But before she could get that , she would have to fix a few problems of her own.
It was nighttime and contrary to Misao's belief Aoshi did not arrive much to her disappointment. "Maybe tomorrow..." she mumbled as she went to bed. Megumi had to come back to the clinic and the ex-gangster on that rare occasion decided that he would be nice and offered to walk her home. Of course, Yahiko was already in bed faster than Kaoru's bokken.
Kenshin was much more a worrywart that day and even walked Kaoru all the way to her room. "Are you sure there's nothing else you'll need, Kaoru-dono? Extra blankets? Is your futon okay?"
"Everything's fine, Kenshin. You can go to bed now. I'm sure, when you wake up, all your problems would be gone." she held his hand in and smiled at him with so much affection.
Finally, Kenshin settled himself to bed after many times of assurance that she was alright.
"You worry too much..."
But that night, Kenshin did have something to worry about.
It was a cold night and she could feel the harsh wind bite her skin but she went on. the only thought on her head was her destination and how she wanted to end everything her own way. As she walked on, she stayed alert for any signs of 'him' and soon he emerged from the dark wearing that sinister grin that she could never forget.
She was never able to sense the shadow following right behind him. Perhaps because that person's stealth skills were far more profound than hers. She stopped on her tracks when she finally saw 'him'.
"Master. I'm here just like you asked."
"Good, Kotori..."
The man threw knives at her and at one moment she thought she was being attacked but she was able to catch the sharp objects with her hands. Reiji, her 'master' smiled at her. But it seemed that Kaoru was not the only one who thought she was being attacked during that moment. From out of the shadows came someone, probably the first time in her life that Kaoru didn't want to see him.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru had to think fast. If she doesn't act right, her cover would be blown. With one swift move she threw the knives at Kenshin. The man with his incredible speed, dodged her attacks except for one. One knife went swiftly towards him that it caught him by his gi and he was pinned to the tree.
"Kaoru?" Kenshin's stare could brake her heart but this was not the time for her to give in. How did he know of her plan?
Reiji gave her more knives and she took them. Slowly she walked towards Kenshin all the while giving him a meaningful stare as if trying to make him understand something. "this is your chance to kill him. He can't fight you back."
With one swift move she attacked. But Kenshin was not there. he was on the ground. Somehow he freed himself from being pinned to the tree. Kaoru almost got him there, she actually cut off some ends of his hair as he ducked. But he didn't really ducked. he looked at the piece of clothing still stuck to the tree and he realized something.
Kaoru had cut the cloth off and he was freed. She wasn't attacking him. She was freeing him only making it look like she attacked him but why? No time really to think about that, the answer was right in front of him...Reiji. Was she acting up to fool Reiji?
Understanding Kaoru's intentions he took his stance and his hand hovered over his sakabattou. Kaoru nodded as if in agreement. And they began their fight. All the while, Kaoru tried looking at Reiji's reflection on Kenshin's shiny sakabattou. Kenshin didn't really have to show some amazing swordsmanship skills since she was moving in a fairly predictable pattern. That' show she wanted it, alright, he'll play along.
"Master, I need help." she said and as she expected, Reiji did come closer to them. He stopped awhile to look at the torn clothing stuck to the tree and his face hardened in determination. He went to help Kaoru against Kenshin. Kaoru found the time to get close enough to Kenshin to whisper, "let me settle this on my own..."
and when Reiji was close enough, she pushed Kenshin away and went around to face Reiji. But the man was ready for her. He dodged Kaoru's attack with ease.
"who are you kidding, Kaoru? You think I wouldn't see through your little act." Kaoru continued to strike while Kenshin stood up and got ready to make his move. If they could somehow, knock out Reiji, their problems would be over.
"You can try Kaoru. But you forget, I trained you, I know your every move." Reiji dodged her attacks once again and Kenshin could only stand. what if he makes a mistake? What if he hit the wrong person? Kaoru was standing too close to Reiji he was afraid he could hit her. What if he kills her the way he killed Tomoe?
Kaoru continued her furious battle and went on attacking after every attack. Hit after hit, blow after every blow, nothing even touched Reiji. Finally Kaoru found in herself an attack she never learned from Reiji but something her father taught her.
With her left she pushed his hands away and moved in such a way that his hands were trapped underneath hers. With her right, which was coming swiftly from above his head, she let out a battle cry but stopped in midair even before she struck the man.
She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill him. She couldn't kill. It wasn't in her nature, not in her heart, not in a single shred of her being. She calmed down and looked at Reiji's eyes. Kenshin watched as Kaoru paused, glad that she didn't stain her hands with death.
as she looked at Reiji's eyes, all she felt was pity. She relaxed her hold and let go, fighting back tears. Reiji knelt down in front of her thanking her for not killing him, for understanding him all those things running incoherently from his mouth.
"I forgive you, I need to go now. The police will take care of you." She turned to leave, one hand still holding the knife. A murderous glint glowed from Reiji's eyes. "Kaoru, Look out!" Kenshin rushed to her side and was only slightly late as he grabbed Reiji's hand, which took the knife from Kaoru and was about to strike her in the heart.
Blood oozed from Kaoru's left shoulder and Reiji swiftly held her with the knife pointed to her neck.
"Stay away, Battousai! or else, she's dead." he made a little cut on her Kaoru's neck and it was all Kenshin needed to revert to being Battousai but also enough for him to take a step away.
"Reiji, you bastard!"
"uh-a, Battousai. Come any closer and she' dead." he pushed the knife against her neck again and more blood oozed out.
"Stop it!"
"K-Kenshin..." Kaoru groaned. "Shut up!" and Reiji pulled hard at the knife still stuck to her shoulder . She let out a shriek at the pain but couldn't do anything else. Reiji carried her away as Kenshin stood there, unable to do anything.
"I'll save you, Kaoru. Just wait for me..."
I just realized that if you have someone you truly adore and you want to write something about that person, do it while you still have strong feelings for him/her. Because I tried doing a poem on this guy I used to like and I couldn't do it because I couldn't capture the right emotions. I mean, even if I do accomplish a line or something, it meant nothing like the real thing.
Which brings me to this other story I was planning to post, "Cookies or Sundaes". You see, whoever you are who is reading this, that story is about 'him' and another guy. When I wrote the first few chapters of that story, my feelings were at their height. That is before I met this new person which turned everything around and now I can't write that because of course the characters have to end up together and man... why am I even worrying about this?
But I just reread it and it all sounded funny and I dunno I liked it...Hrm...I really thought it was nice...
Fact is, the characters and events in that story have long since been over. And there's really no point in me saying all these since I wasn't able to post it anyway but I just feel bad that I'll never be able to share the feeling and the dilemma of that story. I really think everybody goes through that phase. Thanks for reading this anyway, whoever you are whose reading this nonsense...