True to Your Heart
By: Misumi Kanegawa
Chapter 8
4 am…
Hinata Dorm's Backyard…
'Ah-Damn… I feel so sleepy…' Kaoru thought, yawning and stretching her arms, 'Hmph… I guess I should've listened to that guy-"
All of a sudden, Kaoru blushed and shook her head like crazy!
'YUCK! NO WAY! EEW! Why the heck did I even think that!'
She gripped her bokken tighter and sighed. She focused her attention at the leaves falling from the tree before her. As each one fell, she'd swish her bokken to cut each of them in half.
'Ah- not as good as my sokabattou when cutting things… but it still seems to work… good thing the leaves are big enough…' Kaoru thought as she walked over to the tree, 'I'd better use my sokabattou then if I'm going to finish my training…'
She sighed as she picked up a sheathed sword leaning on the tree trunk.
'But… I never use this in training… I only used this… on the day I bought it…' Kaoru mumbled to herself, 'This thing is too expensive to use for practice anyway…'
She sighed as she shook her head angrily.
'No! I have to use it now- or I'll never learn how to use it…' She snapped at herself as she unsheathed her sokabbattou, "Agh… I never knew this was so heavy…"
She backed away from the tree and positioned her sword over her head. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew towards her side.
'Agh! Stupid wind- making my life harder will ya!'
She dashed to her right to cut a dozen leaves being blown farther away by the wind.
'ARGH! This thing's so heavy!'
She leaped up on a wooden bench placed outside the bath house and jumped to the air.
Suddenly, the wind blew once more. The leaves Kaoru was trying to go after were now being blown towards her.
Immediately, she cut every leaf that went past her in a blink of an eye before landing back on the ground.
She panted a bit as she steadied herself with her sokabattou.
'Next time- I'm not training with leaves- never again- stupid leaves- and I missed a couple when I jumped after those- Argh! I hate this kind of training!' she thought in annoyance, 'Maybe I can train with the fish- except they'll kill me if I accidentally kill it…'
She sighed as she slowly looked up at the balcony before her.
'Strange…' she thought, putting her sword back into its sheath, 'When I went jumping up in the air like that- I thought I saw something over there…'
She sighed and shrugged the thought away. She walked over to the tree and sat down under it. She leaned on the trunk of the tree and slowly closed her eyes.
'I'll just think of something else tomorrow…' she thought with a sigh.
Very soon, she was fast asleep.
"That's one head-strong girl…" a red head man mumbled to himself, stepping out to the balcony, 'She really is one good swordsman… She nearly caught me watching her…'
"And yet… it seems like she's already asleep…" he mumbled to himself as he jumped down to the yard without any sound, just like the stealth of a cat.
Cautiously, he approached the sleeping woman under the tree and waved his hand over to her face.
'Yup- she's fast asleep alright…' he thought as he noticed the sheathed sword in her hand and the bokken lying next to her.
'She has a sokabattou…' he thought, 'but how did she happen to have one?'
He took the sokabattou slowly from her hands quite carefully so as not to wake her up. He unsheathed the sokabattou and looked at it carefully.
'No doubt about it… it's a sokabattou alright…' he mumbled, sheathing the sword again, '… She reminds me so much of someone…'
He sighed as he placed the sokabattou and the bokken in the belt of his hakamas.
Silently, he carried the sleeping woman in his arms- bridal style. The sleeping woman stirred slightly. He looked down on her sleeping face and smelled her sweet scent.
'She smells- like jasmine…' he thought as he blushed, 'Jasmine…'
RING! RING! RING!
"Argh! Stupid alarm clock!" Kaoru muttered, banging on the snooze button on her clock.
In annoyance, she tucked her head beneath her bed covers and closed her eyes to get more sleep.
But all of a sudden- she sat up and hastily removed the covers off her.
'What the- ALARM CLOCK! What the heck am I doing back here!' she gasped as she stood up from her bed and looked around her room, 'How the heck did I get here! W-Wasn't I down at the yard just this morning!'
She looked down at her clothes and noted that it was her training gi and hakamas. She turned to her desk, and found both her sokabattou and bokken on it.
'Okay… I'm still in my training clothes… and my swords are here…'
She sighed as she sat back down on her bed.
'Strange… I must have walked in my sleep or something this morning…' Kaoru thought yawning sleepily as she checked the time.
Her eyes suddenly widened.
"NANI! 7 am already!"
"Where is that girl!" Yahiko grumbled, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth, "And I'm supposed to be the one who's so lazy to get up!"
"Oh… she's coming, that she is…" Kenshin mumbled, washing the dishes.
Suddenly, he heard a loud crash.
"Ite! Ite! Ite!"
"Nani? What happened to you busu!" Yahiko asked, quickly helping Kaoru to her feet.
"Um… Gomen… I just… slipped down the stairs…" Kaoru mumbled in pain, rubbing her aching back.
"Um… Guys- we've got 5 more minutes 'til the bell rings, that we do…" Kenshin explained, wiping his hands on a cloth.
Kaoru looked up at him, then at Yahiko.
"Where are the others?" she asked as she saw Kenshin pick up his bag on the kitchen counter.
"They left already busu…" Yahiko grumbled as he went over to the door and opened it, "Well? C'mon! We'll be late if we don't go now!"
As they dashed out the dorm, Yahiko was so surprised to see how fast Kenshin and Kaoru could run!
'As if they had God-like speed!' Yahiko thought as he tried to run after them.
As they entered the school grounds- everything was quiet.
"Damn! We're late!" Kaoru groaned as they slowed down to a jog, "This is all my fault…"
"C'mon- before we get into more trouble…" Yahiko mumbled, tugging on Kaoru's arm.
To his surprise, Kaoru suddenly fell to her knees.
"K-Kaoru!"
'Agh… I don't feel so good…'
Kaoru's head was throbbing, her stomach was growling, her body was aching and her vision was getting blurry. She groaned as she went falling to the ground- when she felt a strong arm catching her.
Kaoru squinted a bit as she felt herself being carried by a pair of strong arms.
'An x…' she thought as she fell to a deep sleep.
"The nurse said it might be lack of food- or lack of sleep- or it might just be stress…"
"Gee… what're we going to do now Ken-san? We're seriously late for our first class!"
"I can go over to the principal to tell them that we're here… that I can…"
"Sure… I'll wait here… just to see if my sis wakes up…"
'Hn…Who- Who's talking? Argh! My head's throbbing!'
Kaoru stirred as she tried to shade her eyes from the light.
"Hmmm…."
"Oh! You're awake! Good!" came Yahiko's voice as Kaoru's vision cleared.
"Wh-Where am I?" Kaoru asked as Yahiko helped her sit up.
"In the clinic of course- can't you see that?" Yahiko said, giving her a glass of water to drink, "You passed out this morning…"
"I-I did!" Kaoru stammered in disbelief as a nurse came bustling towards her with a tray in her hands, "H-How?"
"Jeeze- what do you mean how-" Yahiko hissed at her when the nurse suddenly arrived.
"Eat up girl!" the nurse said, handing her a bright yellow banana and a tablet.
Kaoru quickly drank the medicine while Yahiko peeled the banana for her.
"A-Arigato…" Kaoru mumbled, getting the banana from him.
Suddenly, a guy with flaming red hair and lavender eyes entered the school clinic.
He looked up at Kaoru and smile at her. Kaoru blushed and noticed the scar on his face.
'The x…'
"It's nice to see you awake Kaoru-dono, that it is…" he said as he waved up three yellow slips, "Though… I don't really think you'd like to hear this unfortunate news, that I don't…"
"Oh no… Not the yellow form…" Kaoru groaned as Yahiko snatched the yellow slips from Kenshin.
"Oro?"
"Yup- it's the yellow form alright…" Yahiko sighed, reading writing on the paper, "We've got… 20 hours of- of- of- of GARBAGE PICKING! YUCK!"
"Eew…" Kaoru said in disgust, biting into her banana.
"Um… Yahiko… we have 20 minutes to reach our second class, that we have…" Kenshin said, checking his watch.
"Oh… okay…" Yahiko said as he got his bag from the floor, "We're just having music anyway…"
"Matte! I'm going with you guys!" Kaoru said, getting off the bed.
"Nani! No way! Are you stupid! You're strength hasn't returned yet- you're still tired!" Yahiko exclaimed, catching Kaoru, who was about to fall back to the bed.
"J-Just leave me alone! I can do this!" Kaoru insisted, pushing Yahiko away from her, "I'm not a baby you know! I am NOT a weakling!"
"SHH! THIS IS A CLINIC! NOT A WRESTLING RING!" a nearby nurse snapped as she walked away from them.
"I'm sure Kaoru-dono can take care of herself, that I am…" Kenshin said as Kaoru snatched her back from the table next to her bed.
"I don't need your charity Himura!" Kaoru barked as she stomped her way out of the clinic.
Music…
"Kaoru! There you are! What happened to you!" Misao asked, running over to Kaoru, "You look so tired! Why'd you just come in now!"
"Uh… hi Misao…"
Then, Kenshin as Yahiko entered the music room with Sano along their side.
"I- I'll just explain it to you later…" Kaoru whispered to her as the music teacher entered the room.
"I see we've got the three new students here… Well, I'm Houji-sensei, and I'm your music teacher for this year…" he said, eyeing his students curiously.
He walked over to the three new students and asked, "Tell me- do any of you play any kind of instrument?"
"I used to play a bit of the bamboo flute, that I did…" Kenshin answered as the teacher smiled.
"Good! You'll be fine- You'll be playing a flute this year…" the teacher said, turning to one of his students, "Kamiya-san- since I know you are one of the most excellent flutists in this class, I'd like you to give some lessons to Himura-san- but we'll discuss this after class"
Kaoru looked at the teacher with shock and disgust in her eyes.
'Not him again!'
She groaned as Aoshi raised his hand up.
"Sensei- I know how to play a bit of drums and a bit of the tambourine…" Aoshi said as the teacher nodded.
"Okay- I wish Shigure-san would be your tutor, since he's one of the best percussionists in this class- but since he's absent… I guess Makimachi-san can teach you how to play every percussion instrument we have… but we still have to discuss the matter after class…"
"Sensei, can I be a flutist too?" Soujiro asked as the teacher looked up at him questioningly.
"Have you played any kind of flute before?" the teacher asked as Soujiro sadly shook his head, "Is there any other instrument you know how to play?"
Soujiro slowly shook his head as the teacher sighed.
"Very well… I would ask Kamiya for this job…"
Suddenly, Kaoru froze to a rock. Soujiro's eyes widened
"…But I've already assigned her to Himura… so… Yukishiro can teach you… she's also a very good flutist… but- just to remind the 6 of you… we still have to discuss this matter after class- before you go to lunch…"
Kaoru breathe a sigh of relief as Soujiro sighed in disappointment.
"NO HIMURA! That was B you played! Not B flat?" Kaoru hissed, fixing Kenshin's fingers on his brand new flute, "Remember- It's finger1, thumb 2 and Finger 7, okay? It's right there in the chart the teacher gave you!"
"Oro?" Kenshin said, blowing through the mouth piece of the flute, "Was that better Kaoru-dono?"
"Yeah, better… Now play that half note… half notes are always equal to two beats, okay?" Kaoru explained as Kenshin did as he was told, "Good! Now you're learning fast!"
"Iie… it's all thanks to you Kaoru-dono, that it is…" Kenshin said smiling at Kaoru as she blushed.
"Just- just shut up first- let's start with quarter notes… and the whole and half rests…"
"Oro?"
"Iie Soujiro-san… It's finger 1 & 7, that's C- you're playing B!" Tomoe explained as Soujiro played the correct note, "Wonderful! You'll be as good as any of us soon!"
Soujiro sighed, glancing over to Kenshin and Kaoru.
"I wish I was in Himura-san's place though…" Soujiro mumbled as he quickly looked up at Tomoe, "I mean- gomen… It's not that I don't like you or anything Yukishiro-sama…"
"Iie- it's okay…" Tomoe said, moving her chair closer to Soujiro's, "I don't really mind- lot's of guys chase around that tomboy- I don't really know why…"
"I'm just… well… I don't even know if she'll notice me now that I know she hates boys… I've got no chance at all…"
"You know Soujiro-san.. I can help you if you want…" Tomoe said, slyly, smiling at Soujiro, "I'm sure you won't hesitate if you're so desperate with her… 'Fall for it- just like everyone…'"
Soujiro looked at her curiously as he looked away from her. He sighed as he glanced at Kaoru and Kenshin sitting together, side-by-side.
"Gomen Yukishiro-sama… But I can't…" Soujiro said, gloomily, "Ms. Kamiya'll never care… I couldn't do anything about it… and neither can you…"
"Well… if you still want my help… I'm always glad to help you out…" Tomoe said softly, giving a quick kiss on his forehead.
At the same time, the bell rang…
To be continued…
(A/N: Ohayo Minna-san! Gomen for such a late update! Right now, I'm currently trying to study my French! But I still don't get it! It's either I'm dumb or I can't seem to memorize anything… hehehe… I'm so mean to myself… hehehe… gomen… anyway, I hope you like this chappie… I think it's a bit weird, but… oh well… what do you guys think about it? REVIEW PLEASE! Thanks to everyone who gave me reviews for the last few chapters! I can't really believe a lot of people like my fic! I'm so happy! Ehehehe… anyway, that's all I can say for now! Hope you won't get mad at me if I start doing late updates! School's near- summer's almost OVER! Waah!
Anyway- I'll say this again- I hope you like this chapter!)
I'm answering all your wonderful reviews! Ehehehehe…
Kenjutsu Priestess – hey! Thanks for another review! Hehehe… aw, poor Sano, he got lumps on his head… let's call Megumi! I'm sure she won't mind patching Sano up… hehehe…. Anyway, hope you liked this chappie!
Reignashii – hey! Thanks for another review! Glad you liked the last chappie! I hope you'll like this chappie too! It's a bit longer than the last chappie… I think…
Hannah Parker – hey! Thanks for the review! And what's with the cradle of hell? Are we talking about Ranma all of a sudden? Joke! Anyway, Hope you like this chapter!
rain angst – hey! Thanks for another review! You already know about Kenshin and the kenjutsu thing! Ah? Can you read my mind? Hehehe… joke… glad you liked the last chapter! Hope you'll like this one as well!
allin656 – hey! Thanks for another review! Kaoru'll be nicer to Kenshin… don't worry… hehehe… you just have to see when that'll happen… hehehe… Oh! And thanks about the info on Shura! I did see it- I guess I just forgot her name… ahahaha… I'm so dumb… my memory is so short… ahahaha… well, never mind- now I know what to do with her- thinks of a plan… thinking… thinking… lightbulb!- anyway, thanks for the translations too! I'll see if it has the thing I'm looking for… I think I need to read the whole thing over again… my memory is so poor… I wonder why… (Thinks of Yahiko whacking me with a shinnai on the head) ahahaha… well, anyway, I hope you like this chapter! The following chapters to come is starting to get interesting… that's why I like this chapter… ehehehehe…
softbalchick181 – hey! Thanks for another review! Glad you like Kenshin! Kenshin's so cool… he's so… (pinches herself on the arm- OW)- I've got to stop thinking about him- I'm trying to write a review! (Scolds at Kenshin's picture hanging on the wall) ahahaha… joke….anyway, here's chapter 8, I hope you like it!
AmayaSaria – Hey! Thanks for another review! Glad you liked the last chappie! Here's the new chapter! Glad you're patient with me… summer's nearly gone… and… and… waah! (Pinches herself- ow) I should not cry- I'm not crying… Kenshin's here anyway… (Gazing at Kenshin's Picture on the wall) ehehehe…. Joke….
NO NAME – Hey! Thanks for another review! Don't worry- they'll still be friends… even if… ah… well… you'll find out sooner or later… anyway, I hope you like this chapter!
kik-ting – hey! Thanks for the review! Glad you think it's funny... I really think I should change the genre- people keep telling me it's funny! Anyway, yeah, poor Kenshin… it's all Kaoru's fault… who does she think she is picking on my Kenshin like that! (sweatdrops) ah… never mind- I forgot it was my story (Scratches head in embarrassment) Glad you seem to like my story! I'm really touched… For all my readers! I try to do my best! – except when updating… ehehehe… too many people are trying to use the pc in our place… ehehehe…. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter!