Ronin Kenshin
Chapter 3: First Meetings
Summary- What is a ronin? A student who failed to get into the college of their choice by failing the entrance exams. The 2nd year 'ronin' or failed student, Kenshin Himura moves to Tokyo in hopes of making it in the "real world". Deciding that Tokyo University will give him a positive future, he will do whatever he can to get in.
Author's Note- This idea struck me after reading the manga Love Hina. It will not have the same storyline as Love Hina nor is this a crossover. Please read on!
Disclaimer- Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki.
Kaoru's POV
Kaoru was busy tidying the Kamiya Dojo when she suddenly heard knocking on the gate.
'He's here already? Sano and Yahiko aren't here yet! Oh no…'
She heard knocking again so she bolted to the gate of the dojo. By then the man known as Himura Kenshin knocked again.
'Oh no! He probably thinks no one's home!' When she got to the gate, she opened it so fast that all she saw was a blur of the man
When she looked at the man who she hoped was going to be a future tenant of the Kamiya Dojo, her eyes went wide.
The so-called man named Himura Kenshin was quite a sight to look at. He looked very out of place. Perhaps it was the disarray of long flaming red hair helplessly tied like a ponytail. Maybe it was the girlish complexion he seems to have. Perhaps it was that huge grin on his face. Maybe it was the cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. Or maybe it was the bright pink shirt and worn out baggy jeans he was wearing.
The first thing that came out of Kaoru's mind was 'This guy needs a serious makeover'.
She continued to examine him for about 2 more minutes till she realized he was just standing there outside her gate.
"Oh! Gomen nasai! You must be Himura-san right?"
"And I assume you are Kamiya-san, owner of this dojo, correct?" The red head asked still smiling.
"Hai. Come in! Do you need help with your bags? Sorry about the wait. I was just tidying up the house and dojo a bit. I didn't expect a guest would be staying today so I'm sorry if the place looks a little messy."
"Oh, that's okay. In fact, I think I'm the one that should be apologizing for asking to stay so suddenly Kamiya-dono. Oh, and the bags aren't too heavy. If you have a place that I can put them, that would be nice though."
"Ack! Don't call me Kamiya-dono. Just Kaoru please. I feel old when someone calls me that. If you follow me, I'll show you to your room."
"Arigatou Kaoru-dono. Please just call me Kenshin." Kaoru smiled. Kenshin Himura seems nice enough. But sometimes looks can be deceiving so she had to make sure and get to know him a bit more.
After she gave him a brief tour of the dojo and house and showed him where he will be staying, she decided to find out if he can pay rent and if he has a good background.
"Would you like something to drink Kenshin? Tea, coffee, water, soda, anything you want."
"Thank you Kaoru-dono. Tea sounds fine. Maybe I should make it since you seem tired from cleaning this place."
Okay, so he's polite.
"Oh, that's okay Kenshin. I don't mind at all. Would green tea do? I'm afraid it's all we have."
"Green tea sounds great Kaoru-dono! I'm not that picky on what I eat or drink."
He's not picky.
"Are you sure you don't want me to do it? In my old house I used to do all the chores including making tea from scratch."
Chores? Tea from scratch? He sounds responsible and he's probably a good cook! What kind of guy does chores and makes tea from scratch? All the guys I happen to know just sit around and wait to be fed. He's already making a good impression on me and I'm just making tea!
"Here you go Kenshin. I hope it's good enough for you!" Kaoru handed Kenshin the cup of green tea.
After a long sip Kenshin finally spoke. "Ahhh! Not too strong, just right. The tea is excellent Kaoru-dono!"
My tea is Excellent? Oh Kami-sama…I have found the perfect man! Up till now, no one's appreciated my cooking before. Not even my tea making skills. He is DEFINITELY staying!
"Do you want something to eat Kenshin?"
"Well, if it's not a bother Kaoru-dono, I am kinda hungry, that I am. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast this morning."
"This morning? Well then I'll just have to make you a little something won't I?"
Just as Kaoru was about to head into the kitchen, a pair of feet stumbled over to the dining area and two voices suddenly yelled out. "Don't do it!"
"We have Tae's beef pot special!" yelled Yahiko.
"Oh that's right! I sent you two to the Akabeko didn't I? Silly me, I was about to make something for Himura-san here."
"Well Jou-chan, thank Kami we got here in time. Who knows what could have happened to the poor guy if he took a bite of your cooking." Sanosuke smirked.
"What the heck did you say you free loading Rooster? I'll have you know that Kenshin here appreciates my tea making skills thank you very much!" She was about to hit the poor rooster with a bokken that she got out of nowhere when a red hair ronin suddenly intervened.
"Umm…excuse me Kaoru-dono, you have not introduced me to your friends, that you haven't."
"Oh right!" Kaoru remembered dropping the bokken slowly to the ground. "Kenshin, meet Myojin Yahiko" Kaoru pointed to Yahiko. "This freeloading rooster over here is Sagara Sanosuke. You can just call him Sano." Sano did a salute. "Sano, Yahiko, meet Himura Kenshin."
"Hey." The two boys said in unison.
"Nice to meet you Sano, Yahiko. You can just call me Kenshin."
"Well now that introductions are over, let's eat! Tae's Beef Pot Specialty spells too good." Sano rubbed his hands together.
As, they all sat down at the table, Kaoru suddenly realized that the 2 freeloading guys had appetites the size of Asia. There was another occasion that she asked them to bring back food from the Akabeko and when they came back, there was hardly any food left in the take home bag. "Sano, Yahiko, you boys have better 'tasted' some of the beef pot that Tae made. After all, we do have a guest."
"Don't worry Ugly, we didn't. We have manners after all."
"What did you say you Brat? Don't make me take your share of food away!"
"Hey! No fair! You made me clean up around the dojo plus Kenshin's room. This is my reward."
"Fine! How about you Sano, since you didn't do much, you can help me clean up after we eat."
"What? And what did you do Jou-chan? You were just barking orders around!"
"I was not! I cleaned up this place more than you guys did I-" before Kaoru could finish the sentence and before she could send Sano to the other side of the room, Kenshin once again intervened.
"Well, it seems like you guys get along pretty well, that you do." Kenshin said then smiled.
"Huh? We do?" asked the surprised trio together.
"That you do. I've seen people argue and there are two types of arguing, the bad side where arguments where everyone hates and tries to kill the other person, and the good arguments, where you argue playfully. You three have 'good arguments' I can sense that you guys really care for each other."
"Heh. You could have me fooled. Everytime we get in an argument with Jou-chan here, it always ends up that that me or Yahiko gets our asses kicked (or heads or faces) kicked, punched, slapped, you name it."
"Hey! Mind your language Sanosuke!" yelled Kaoru.
Yahiko nodded. "I got a scar once from when she used her bokken on me. Dr. Genzai, he's the local doctor around here, had to give me 8 stitches!"
"That's enough Yahiko! Let's change the subject. I don't want Kenshin getting scared of me now would I?"
Sano started 'choking' but stopped when he saw Kaoru's evil glare. "Okay, fine. So Kenshin, what brings you all the way to the streets of Tokyo?"
"Well Sano, actually, I want to study here. You're probably gonna think of me as weird and stupid when I say this but, I'm actually a 2nd year ronin." Kenshin scratched the back of his head from embarrassment.
"Well you don't say." Said Yahiko. "Rooster head over here is a 4th year ronin!"
This time, it was Sano's turn to shrink back from embarrassment. "Hey now, don't go off telling people my secrets Yahiko! I have a couple of blackmails for you too you know. Jou-chan you too."
But Kaoru didn't seem like she was listening. Her eyes were downcast.
"Hey Jou-chan, you okay?" Kaoru just nodded her head. "Well if you say so. So Kenshin, with you being a 2nd year ronin and all, where exactly do you plan to go to college?"
"This may sound odd, but I really want to go to the University of Tokyo."
After he said this, Yahiko spitted out the soda he was drinking, Sano started choking on the beef he was chewing and Kaoru's head suddenly went up.
"You don't say Kenshin! How ironic is this?" smiled Yahiko after he wiped his mouth. "Kaoru and Sano here both want to go to Tokyo U too! And I think I'm just gonna let Kaoru tell you about her predicament."
"I guess I have no choice. Umm…Well you see Kenshin, I'm a ronin too." Whispered Kaoru under her breath. "Actually I'm a first year ronin. After I fully took over the dojo, and its responsibilities, I had hardly any time to study and my grades went downhill from there."
"Well what a coincidence. Life is certainly full of coincidences right Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru merely nodded. "Maybe I will stay here, since mostly everyone here is a ronin trying to make it into Tokyo U." beamed Kenshin.
This suddenly cheered Kaoru up. "I forgot all about that! Well, before you do make a final decision, we'll have to go over a few terms first. They're not that bad. If you agree to all these, you can stay."
"Sure thing Kaoru-dono."
"Very well. Number 1. You help around the house. That means doing chores and errands etc. Number 2. Try not to waste things around here. Like food, water, electricity etc. Number 3. Try to get along with the sometimes very annoying people you're living with. Number 4. If you're going out and staying out late, call anyone, we all have cells or you can call the house number. We don't want to be worried about you. And finally Number 5. Respect the dojo and house. This has been in the Kamiya family for so many generations even before the Meiji Revolution and the Tokugawa Regime. Even though, there have been many changes to the dojo since it was built, this is one of the oldest places still hanging around here."
Kenshin merely nodded and then spoke up "Those seem to be very easy rules to follow Kaoru-dono. I like cleaning. Back in Kyoto, we don't waste things either. I try to get along with everyone and I'm sure I won't be out late. And about the dojo, I promise to treat the dojo liked I treated my house in Kyoto."
"Well now that that's settled, let talk about rent." Kaoru happily chatted. She finally got to the good part. The best part. The most important part (at least in her opinion)—Money.
"I don't really ask much." She started. "Rent is just basically helping me pay the bills and/or buying the grocery. I won't ask much from you, but that's basically the payment for your stay here at the Kamiya Dojo."
"Does that sound fair to you?" she wondered. Maybe you're asking too much? 'Don't get your hopes too high Kaoru' she mentally chided to herself.
There was a long pause after she said that and Kaoru started to get nervous.
"Okay. That seems like a fair deal. After all, most rooms require you to pay rent AND your own bills. If I stay here, I'll save a lot of money. And like I said, everyone here sounds like they get along fine. It's a deal Kaoru-dono! Though I can't say if I may have to move again…" Kenshin added the last part because he remembered what Hiko told him.
"Well then Himura Kenshin, welcome to the Kamiya Dojo!"
Whew. There goes Chapter 3. I finally finished it! And it's after 12 midnight too so I would be really happy if you guys reviewed. This chapter was kinda hard to write, so do me a favor and review pls!
announcer voice So now that Kenshin's officially part of the 'Family' of the Kamiya Dojo, what kind of hells will he have to go through with 3 other crazy tenants? Stay tuned for the next installment of 'Ronin Kenshin'! evil laugh
Thanks for my reviewers Mandy G., Miko Miko , Nightmare 3 and Chibi Krillin . And to those who don't review but still read my story, I love you all! But I'll love you more if you review…
