Lady Himura: Wow, can you believe it has been almost 2 years since I last posted a story?

SSJHimura: No one likes your stories anyways!

Lady Himura::vain throbs in temple:

Darkness Flames: You'd think he'd learn from the last two stories but nooooo he never listens!

Lady Himura::pulls out the bokken: Oh man, I missed doing this. COME'RE!

:chases after a squealing SSJ Himura:

Darkness Flame::giant sweat drop runs down back of head: heh, Well I'm sure if Lady Himura were not occupied at the moment she would want you to enjoy the story

SSJHimura: SHE'S GONNA KILL ME!

Darkness Flames::shakes head:

The sun was slowly setting in the horizon, an array of beautiful colors spreading across the sky. Kaoru sat by a cherry blossom tree, the pedals flying about her in the lovely spring breeze. In her hands she held a flower wreathe, or at least an almost finished one. With ease she went on to finish the wreathe, adding a flower here and there. Her mind was somewhere else though. Day dreams seemed to consume her, no matter how focused she tried to be. She had remembered leaving Yahiko with a giant bump on his head from swinging her bokken around without actually thinking about her target. No, she was thinking about him. She dazed off into the sky, swearing she could see him in the blend of orange and violet. She was in love, this she knew.

Every day Kaoru Kamiya would watch and wait, and wait and watch. She knew how she felt about him. Sometimes she would sit in front of her mirror and visualize herself telling him exactly how she felt, each word spoken flawlessly and then he would sweep her off her feet and carry her off in romance and happiness for ever to come.

If only it were that easy right?

No, it never worked out that way. She has desperately wished that he would be able to see right through her. She longed for the courage to say the words she wanted to say, for the words she wanted to hear and for the happy ending she constantly dreamed about. When she had taken him in, she had never imagined the love she would feel for him. His name…Kenshin Himura, vagabond of today, battosai of the past.

A sudden rustle of the leaves in the wind brought Kaoru back to reality only to find she had not really been carried off into the sunset in the arms of her beloved. There was nothing more then flowers and trees and…KENSHIN! Kaoru dropped her wreathe startled by his presence before her.

"Kenshin, how long have you been there!" Kaoru asked, a little embarrassed to have not have noticed him.

"Oh not to long Kaoru-dono…I--" he stopped himself mid sentence and sent Kaoru a warming smile, rubbing the back of his head. She giggled and smiled back. How she loved his smile. It was the kind of smile you could not fake nor could one not mean to make. She melted on the inside, but remained secure on the outside. But oh, how she wanted to be near him, to hold him and touch him. To take in his sweet scent, to run her hands through her long beautiful red hair. She wanted to be loved by him.

"Would You mind if I sat with you Kaoru -dono?" Kenshin asked, studying her eyes. Kenshin couldn't help but smile slightly. There was a flare in her eyes. In those sapphire eyes he saw determination, sadness, happiness, and yet…there was something he couldn't make out. He knew there was something there, if only he could fill in the gap.

Kaoru nodded and motioned for Kenshin to sit beside her as she picked up a flower, working it into the wreathe.

"That is a very beautiful wreathe your making, that it is." Kenshin said, moving in a closer for a better look at her handy work. Kaoru blushed and smiled. She wish she could think of something to say to him. Something witty, something beautiful. She prayed he could not hear the beating of her heart, she could swear it was as loud as the banging of a drum!

Kenshin leaned back on one arm and tilted his head towards the sky. He enjoyed being here with Kaoru…alone. It was away from the chaos of the dojo and among the serenity of nature. Don't get him wrong, he loved the dojo and he loved Sanosuke and Yahiko and the rest of the Kenshin-gumi (or so they were called), but there was just something he loved about being with Kaoru. He loved being close to her. He awaited the days when she would walk down to the market so he would be able to accompany her one on one. He enjoyed the days when they sat outside in the star filled sky, speaking of past events and dreams of the future , although he would never admit his most personal dreams.

He looked back down to find a beautiful flower poking out of the ground next to him. He looked back at Kaoru who was content in her wreathe making. He plucked the flower and brought it up to Kaoru's face. She glanced at him before she closed her eyes and sniffed its scent. Kenshin placed the flower behind her ear, gently pulling back her raven hair but not missing the chance to caress her soft skin. He laid his hand back down on his lap and took in Kaoru's profile. The flower matched her bright eyes and her violet kimono. Today she did not wear a ribbon in her hair, which was quite appealing to Kenshin.

They both soon realized they had been locked in a gaze, both of them neglecting to act upon their own feelings. Kaoru was the first to break free, smile, and go back to her wreathe making, mentally kicking herself for not acting upon her feelings. Kenshin frowned and bowed his head as if he were looking at something interesting on the ground.

Above in the tree, where Kaoru and Kenshin were sitting, there came the familiar whispers of two of the Kamiya dojo's residents. Yahiko tried to look down through the leaves, crushing Sano's head in the process.

"Get off of me squirt!" Sano said as he shoved Yahiko back into the tree. Sano parted the leaves of the tree to get a closer look.

"What do you suppose they are saying down there?" Yahiko asked as he rubbed the bump on his head from colliding with the tree.

"I dunno, what say you drop in for a closer look." Sano said with a devilish grin upon his face. "You remember the signals right?"

"Tugging my ear means they are talking about nothing. Rubbing my nose means they are talking about you. Sticking out my tongue means they are talking about something dirty!" Yahiko recited making his sensei proud.

:"I have taught you well young grasshopper." Sano said. Sano grabbed Yahiko by the ankles and slowly lowered him down.

Kenshin twitched for a moment. It's very hard to be sneaky around an ex-assassin.

"Kaoru-dono, do you feel like we're being watched?" Kenshin said as he leaned in closer to her, just to be sure of her safety. Kaoru glanced around but did not feel anyone's presence.

"I don't think so Kenshin. It's only you and me…alone." Kaoru said, kind of happy with the thought. Kenshin looked up at the sky to see a little blue bird flying toward him. He lifted his hand up into the air and the bird, showing no hesitation, flew onto his finger chirping away. Kaoru was amazed to see the birds willingness to be so close to a human being.

She studied Kenshin in his position. One leg lay flat on the ground while the other was propped up, knee in air. He held the bird in his right hand, the other hand propping him up. His hair swayed with the moving breeze and his eyes shone with the fading sun. Along his face lay a scar. A cross shaped scar to be exact. She knew the scar held a dark history, one in which Kenshin never chose to share with her. She never asked, afraid it would cause him to leave her. She has never been afraid of death. She had only been afraid of being alone.

Kenshin turned to Kaoru. He took her hand in his free hand and brought it closer to the hand that held the bird. He gently moved the bird from his hand to her own. Kaoru laughed a laugh of surprise and awe at the bird upon her finger.

"What's going on down there Yahiko!" Sano whispered, disappointed at no signals as of yet.

" They're holding a stupid bird!" Yahiko whispered.

"What!"

"I said…they're holding a stupid bird!"

"Whaaaaaaat!"

"THEY'RE HOLDING A STUPID BIRD!" Yahiko yelled, quickly covering his mouth.

"Did you hear that!" Kenshin said, the bird flying away from the sudden noise. Kenshin looked up and grinned and Kaoru looked around the field of flowers for someone's presence.

"Hurry Sano! Pull me up!" Yahiko frantically cried. Just as Sano was about to pull Yahiko up, he felt something crawl up the leg of his pants. He looked down to see a little furry tail disappear at the bottom of his pants. Sano's eyes grew wide and he screamed.

"SQUIRREL! IN MY PANTS!AHHHHHH!"

Sano let go of Yahiko's ankles, falling out of the tree after him. Kenshin quickly grabbed Kaoru and jumped out of the way of the falling bodies of Yahiko and Sano. Yahiko landed first, followed by Sano right on top of him. Sano shot up and began to jump around. He ran away still screaming that there was a squirrel in his pants.

Yahiko looked up at Kaoru and Kenshin who were staring at him. He got up, wiped the dust off and….ran for his life for he had just crushed Kaoru's wreathe!

Kaoru was about to run after him when she realized that Kenshin's arm was still wrapped around her and that her hands were upon his arm. She blushed and turned her head to meet Kenshin's eyes. Only then did Kenshin realize he still had Kaoru in his arms after averting his eyes from Sano and Yahiko running like crazy.

Kenshin quickly moved his arm, turning as red as his hair. He quickly tried to apologize but Kaoru brought her finger to his lips to silence him. Kenshin was little surprise but nonetheless welcomed the gesture.

The light of the sun had gone in the blink of an eye and Kaoru and Kenshin began to make they're way back to the dojo. She looked over at him, the moonlight shone upon him, but his scar seemed stick out in particular. She thought perhaps now would be a good time to ask him how he had received it.

"Umm.. Kenshin. Can I ask you something?" Kaoru said hesitantly.

"You can ask me anything Kaoru-dono, that you can." Kenshin said.

"How…how did you…" Kaoru hesitated. She couldn't ask him. "Would you look like to come with me to the market to help me take home some rice!" Kaoru blurted out.

Kenshin knew that's not what was on her mind, but he was not going to miss and opportunity to be with Kaoru.

"Of course Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said. With the setting of the sun, the temperature dropped and Kaoru found herself rubbing her hands together. Kenshin noticed and placed his arm around her, holding her close to him as they walked. She blushed and smiled revealing all her teeth, using the dark to cover her thrilled expression.

They walked on, nearing the dojo. Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes.

Kaoru's scream mixed with the unsheathing of a sword as blood rained down.