True to Your Heart
By: Misumi Kanegawa
Chapter 3
"I hate this… It's so boring up here…" Kaoru said with a sigh, playing around with her tempura, "If only they weren't guys…"
Suddenly, she heard music and singing coming from the first floor.
"Ah great… Those two are drunk again I suppose…" Kaoru said grumpily, finishing her food, "And they're singing again! Argh! They sound like crows for crying out loud!"
Early the next day… 4:00 am…
"Oro?"
Kenshin sat up from his bed as he stretched his arms.
'I hear someone using a sword down there…' Kenshin thought as he walked towards his window and gazed outside. His eyes widened as he saw a figure on the yard below.
"Oro? Isn't that Kaoru-dono?"
Silently, he opened his window open a bit and poked his head outside.
'What is she doing out here? What time is it?'
"One- Two- Three-" Kaoru chanted as she kept in swinging her bokken upward and downwards before her.
"I'll show them never to under estimate me…" Kaoru grumbled as she darted forward, slightly disappearing from view and cutting up a bunch of leaves falling down from a tree on the yard with her bokken. Then she jumped right to her side to cut up more leaves with her bokken.
After a while of cutting up leaves, she stopped and sat down under the tree, closing her eyes, and meditating. Just then, she heard a faint click.
All of a sudden, the leaves that continued to fall down from the tree snapped before Kaoru. Kaoru's eyes bolted open as she quickly went to her feet, searching the yard like a hawk.
"Who's there!" Kaoru hissed, placing herself in a fighting position. After a minute of silence, Kaoru slowly laid her bokken down and looked around the yard once again.
'Strange… I thought I heard something…' Kaoru thought shrugging. She sat back down under the tree and closed her eyes to meditate once again.
"Hmm… she almost saw me…" Kenshin said with a sigh, peeking out the window again from behind the window curtains.
'But the guys were right… that they were…she is good… that she is…' Kenshin thought, walking back towards his bed, 'She's got a strong sword chi too…'
He glanced back at the window before sighing again.
'I wonder…'
Later, while walking towards school…
"Gosh! That was the first time I slept like a log in years!" Soujiro said happily as Aoshi yawned.
"I told you not to make me drink sake…" Aoshi grumbled as Yahiko smirked.
"Well… that's how we welcome new comers to the dorm!" Yahiko said as he nudged Kaoru who was beside him, "Even Kaoru-san took a lot, neh Nii-san?"
"Sh-shut up Yahiko-chan! You and Sano forced me to take some!" Kaoru exclaimed blushing, "I mean- you only started that whole sake thing when Sano joined in the dorm!"
"Yeah- so? You still took a lot- and that's no excuse!" Sano teased her as Kaoru kicked him on the shins.
Kaoru stuck her tongue out at him before running towards Misao who was leaning outside the school walls.
"Hey! I was waiting for you!" Misao greeted Kaoru, "You should finish up quickly- the bell's about to ring…"
"Oro? What are you talking about Misao-dono?" Kenshin asked walking up to her.
"Oh… you'll see…" Misao replied, grinning happily.
Kaoru slowly entered the school grounds, followed by Misao and her dormates. All of a sudden, a large group of guys came charging at her.
"Kaoru-san!" Soujiro exclaimed as he tried to move towards her. But to his surprise, Misao extended an arm between them and stopped him from moving any further.
"What are you doing!" Soujiro demanded in surprise as Misao mumbled, "Watch…"
Kaoru swung her bokken back and forth repeatedly as more and more men charged towards her. She ducks her opponents swings while kicking them on the shins; causing each of them to fall to the ground. She did a back flip when a group of kendo students swung their shinais at her. She then pierced her sword to the ground while dragging it upwards towards her rushing opponents. She swung her bokken out of the ground, causing her opponents to go under a shower of dirt. Kaoru hid herself in the clouds of dust as she one-by one hit her opponents in their weak spots.
When the dust cleared up, Misao and the others found Kaoru panting heavily- with unconscious guys lying all around her.
"Yahoo! The greatest woman-warrior of our time does it again!" Misao exclaimed happily as she ran towards her friend.
"Hmm… she's good…" Aoshi mumbled as Soujiro nodded.
"I'm not a woman-warrior, baka! Don't compare me to some crazy jungle woman!" Kaoru grumbled, hitting Misao on the head.
"Ah! Ite!"
'Maybe this is what she's been practicing for this morning…' Kenshin thought as he followed the others into the school, 'But it's strange… that technique she used… it's almost exactly like mine…'
"Okay- Our second subject is gym…" Misao explained as they entered a huge building made up of two basketball courts and a stage at one end of the building.
"You guys need to change into your gym clothes… at that door at the left side of the stage is the boys' changing room…" Misao explained as she pulled Kaoru away from the group, "Us girls change in the changing room in the left side of the stage."
Boys changing room…
"Hey Yahiko- what class is Sano-san in?" Soujiro asked, changing into his gym shirt.
"Oh… he's in 4-D…"Yahiko replied as he tied his shoe laces, "The only class we have with him is music… and that's tomorrow…"
"Why're you looking for rooster head?" Aoshi asked Soujiro as Yahiko laughed.
"I dunno…" Soujiro said as Kenshin suddenly interrupted him.
"Hey Yahiko- why was your sister fighting this morning?" Kenshin asked as Yahiko shrugged.
"I dunno really… all I heard from Misao is that whoever beats her in a fight gets to date her…" Yahiko sighed as he scratched his head, 'But really- I don't even know why they try! Kaoru is so hard-headed! Besides- who'd want to date her!"
"Well… a lot of guys seem to…" Soujiro mumbled, blushing slightly as he headed out the door, "We better go- the teacher's gonna call us any second now…"
"Good morning class!"
"Good morning Kagami-sensei…"
"Okay class, today- we're going to do some dancing," the teacher said as most of the students groaned.
"Great! I'd rather play dress up than dance with a boy!" Kaoru grumbled to herself as she shuddered in disgust.
"Aw… c'mon Kaoru- it'll be fun!" Misao said, giggling, while nudging her with her elbow.
"I'll be choosing your partners in randomized order, okay?" the teacher said as more groans came from his class.
After a few minutes, the whole class was paired up.
'This is GREAT! I'm paired up with a hunk!" Misao thought giggling as Aoshi looked at her in curiosity.
"What is it?" he asked as Misao blushed madly.
"Um… nothing…" Misao said sweetly as she turned around to check the other pairings.
Yahiko was paired up with a cute girl with short brown hair from Class 4-A. Soujiro was paired up with Tomoe who was giggling uncontrollably. Kaoru, on the other hand, had her back turned to her partner, Kenshin.
"Okay class… we'll try to learn to dance the waltz, okay?" the teacher said as he continued with his instruction, "So guys, with your left arm, take your partners right hand, then place your right hand a little bit above your partner's waist. As for the girls… place your left hand on your partner's right shoulder. The dance is simple- since you already tried doing this last year…"
The girls giggled as they did what they were told to do. But Kaoru didn't- she wouldn't come a foot near Kenshin.
"No way am I touching YOU!" Kaoru snapped at Kenshin as extended his hand to her.
"Demo… Kaoru-dono… Kagami-sensei told us to-" Kenshin said when Kaoru slapped his hand away from her.
"WHY! Why do YOU have to be my partner! And of all people!" Kaoru cursed under her breath as she felt someone walk up behind her.
"Is there something wrong Kamiya?" the teacher asked as Kaoru looked at him in surprise.
Kaoru blushed as she felt everyone looking at them now.
"Uh- no-no sir… nothing's wrong…" Kaoru stammered as she heard some girls giggling at her.
"Well… then I suggest you to proceed to do the instructions I gave out, okay?"
"Hai sensei…" Kaoru mumbled in embarrassment.
Once the teacher had left their side, Kenshin held out his hand out to her once more.
"So… may I have this dance then?" Kenshin asked kindly, giving her a warm smile, "And don't worry too much… it's just a practice dance… Besides- I don't bite…"
Kaoru looked up at his lavender eyes. She sighed, blushing furiously as she stepped towards him.
"Fine- but just this once-" Kaoru grumbled as she took Kenshin's hand, "But don't you dare get any dumb ideas into that small head of yours- or else!"
She blushed madly as Kenshin stepped closer to her. Suddenly, Kaoru felt her clip snap.
"Oro?"
"Um… hold on, I think my clip snapped again-" Kaoru mumbled in embarrassment.
At that moment, music began to fill the air.
"You can fix it later Kaoru-dono, that you can… besides… you look better without it, that you do…" Kenshin whispered, putting his hand on her waist as Kaoru blushed 7 shades of red.
'I never knew… I never knew guys were so gentle… wait a minute! What the heck am I saying!' Kaoru thought, blushing as Kenshin spun her around, 'Waah! I can't believe I'm dancing! And with a guy!- But he seems like a good dancer though…'
When the music ended, Kaoru quickly pushed Kenshin away from her and turned her back on him.
'That- was- absolutely-FREAKY!' Kaoru thought, placing her hand on her chest, 'and why the heck is my heart beating so fast!'
Suddenly, she heard someone do a fake cough behind her.
"Here…"
Kaoru turned to see Kenshin's hand outstretched with a strip of cloth on it.
"Wha-" Kaoru said in surprise as Kenshin took her hand and placed the cloth on it.
"Take it Kaoru-dono… you said your clip snapped, didn't you?" Kenshin said kindly as Kaoru quickly took her hand away from him, with the cloth enclosed in it, "You can use that to tie your hair if you wish.
"Uh… um… um… uh…" Kaoru stammered, blushing furiously as she tried not to make eye contact with Kenshin, "Yeah… sure, whatever"
"You're quite a good dancer you know…"
Kaoru turned away from him as she felt herself turning redder.
"Okay- switch partners!" the teacher called, "Boys! Move to the girl next to your left side…"
Kaoru gave Kenshin a quick glance, when she noticed that he was making a small bow before her before turning to Misao who was next to them. As Kaoru stared at Misao and Kenshin, who was engaged in a conversation, she didn't notice a brown haired guy looking at her curiously.
"Hey Busu- who are you looking at!"
Kaoru turned rock hard when she noticed Yahiko smirking at her.
BLAG!
"Ite!"
"Shut up Yahiko-chan!" Kaoru exclaimed, blushing madly as Yahiko scowled.
"Why do you keep on calling me CHAN! I'm just an inch smaller than you!" Yahiko frowned as Kaoru tied her hair in a high ponytail with the strip on cloth in her hand.
"Well duh- you really weren't meant to be tall- so give it up and just live with your cute widdle name…" Kaoru cooed, pinching on Yahiko's cheek as Yahiko fumed.
"QUIT THAT!"
From the corner of his eye, Kenshin was watching the two siblings quarrel.
'Was she looking at me a minute ago?' Kenshin thought when he noticed someone waving a hand in front of his face.
"Oro?"
"Hey Kenshin! The music's starting again!" Misao pouted as Kenshin just blinked at her blankly, "Oh jeeze- do I have to do this!"
"ORO!"
Misao pulled Kenshin's hands and place one on her waist and on in her hand. Kenshin blushed, and turned to look at Kaoru's direction.
"So… I saw you two with Kenshin… he seems like a nice guy…" Yahiko mumbled as Kaoru blushed, "And there's also Soujiro… It looks like he likes you… I can see him watching us from over here…"
Kaoru blushed even redder.
'This isn't happening!' Kaoru scolded herself as Yahiko accidentally stepped on her foot, 'Ite! That hurts!'
"Uh… sorry about that…I thought I saw a dead cockroach…" Yahiko said as Kaoru looked at him horror stricken, "Hey- it was a joke- jeeze, talk about serious'"
"Hmm… but you know- I think you're getting to like guys this year…" Yahiko mumbled when Kaoru started pulling on his left ear, "Ow…Ow… Ow…"
"Shut up- I don't really care if you saw me and that red-head freak together, okay! I don't like guys like him- he's a complete stranger-"
"Yeah- but that's what you said with Sano…" Yahiko muttered as Kaoru glared daggers at him, "What? It's true right?"
"Sano- is-different. I don't completely trust him-" Kaoru snapped as Yahiko sighed.
"Well… whatever you say… I'm just telling you that I think Soujiro there likes you… he's still watching us you know…" Yahiko said as Kaoru looked away from him blushing.
"I'd rather die!"
Later… in the girl's changing room…
"AAAHHHH! Aoshi is just so adorable!" Misao squealed as she changed into her school uniform.
"Oh give it a rest Misao-chan!" Kaoru grumbled as she slid on her school shoes.
"Why? Didn't you have a good time dancing with Himura-kun?" Misao said slyly as Kaoru blushed red, "Oh… and did you know that Seta-kun was watching you the whole time? He was very obvious if you asked me…"
"Shut up! I don't care a heck about them-"
"Of course you wouldn't!" Tomoe snapped smugly as she stood in front of the changing room mirror, "Besides… who would care for a tomboy like you?"
"Leave her alone Yukishiro!" Misao barked as Tomoe looked at her with an evil smile.
"Aww… does the little itachii have a crush on Shinomori?" she cooed as Misao fumed.
"Shut up! Mind your own business!" Misao exclaimed as Megumi joined Tomoe by the mirror.
"Oh please Makimachi, do you really think one of those three gorgeous new students of ours 'I'm not saying I don't like my boyfriend- their just too gorgeous… hehehe…' would even have even the tiniest crush on you!" Megumi scoffed as steam began to burst out from Misao's ears.
"Nani! Say that again to my fist one more time!" Misao exclaimed in rage as the two snobbish girls before her just laughed, "What the- Why I ought to-"
Suddenly Misao felt a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Huh?"
"You'd better quit it Misao… they're not worth it…" Kaoru mumbled as she removed her hand from Misao's shoulder.
"Ooh! The tomboy's acting all tough! Why? Is she your girlfriend now?" Megumi asked as she and Tomoe laughed.
"You know Kitsune-baka… if you know what's good for you, I'd suggest you'd shut your trap-" Kaoru muttered, glaring daggers at the two, " 'Cause if you two would dare cross the line- I promise you- you won't like me one bit-"
"Humph- c'mon Megumi-sama, I can hear my koishii Seta calling me…" Tomoe said dragging a steaming Megumi out of the changing room.
"BLEH! Serves you bakas right! HAHA!" Misao exclaimed from behind Kaoru as she stuck her tongue out.
BRING!
"C'mon… It's lunch time…" Kaoru mumbled as she got her backpack.
"Hey! Wait up!" Misao exclaimed, jogging after her, "I've got a question for you!"
"Then ask away…" Kaoru sighed as they entered the cafeteria.
To be continued…
(A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait… this chapter's a bit long… but… anyway; I'm just here to answer some reviews, ok? But I hope you liked this chapter… This is my second rk fic by the way… I'm just really an amateur… if you want to check out my first fic- the title is "To Draw A Sword" …. Thanks!)
unknown beedee – hey! Thanks for the review! I've already written this story down… so I'm sure I'll update faster than in my other stories… except when I'm lazy… hehehe… joke…
Dark Thorn White Rose – Hey! Thanks for the review! I'm really glad you liked this! I hope you'd continue to read this fic!
Maki – hey! Thanks a bunch for the review! Glad you liked my fic! Anyway, I'll update as soon as I can… (AS soon as no one's using the pc! - it's my turn!- hehehe)
Hannah Parker – glad you liked my fic! And thanks for the review! I'll update soon- I hope- hehehe
Emumoon – hey! Thanks for the review! Even though I don't know if this is a flame- I'm a beginner… hehehe- well, anyway, I'm just gonna clarify some things on your comments…
Uh… the plot… I can't say the plot because I might give out a lot on my story… but you'll get to understand the story on the coming chapters…
Kamiya's past? Oh… that's in chapter 4… so you can just wait a bit for it… I'm typing it up right now…
What's Kaoru's height anyway? I know she's nearly a 5 footer, but Yahiko here is just an inch smaller than her… the only reason I think Sano calls him a shrimp is that cuz he's really taller than Yahiko… isn't that right? Hmm… I need to research that…
And Hiko! Yeah- sorry I removed him so quickly… but I'll bring him out again in another chapter… so, you'll just have to wait a bit again… I like my readers to get curious… hehehe…
And my spelling and grammar! Hmm… I think I have to scold my Microsoft word for that… but, anyway- I'll try to check my spelling… if I'm not too lazy…hehehe
Well- I hope I got to answer most of your questions… just ask me again if you get confused or anything… hehehe… and thanks again for the review! Even though I think it's a flame… hehehe… well, never mind…
Reignashii – hey! Thanks a lot for your review! And I'm glad you liked this story- hope you liked this chapter too!
softbalchick181 – hey! Thanks for the review! By the way, who's past? Cuz in the next chapter, I'm posting up a bit of the Kamiya's past… hehehe… I think I gave something away… did I? Well, never mind… I hope you continue reading my story!