AN: Hello again! Faithful readers! Um…well…my not-so-faithful readers, but hey! I can't complain so long as I have an audience! Hoped you've liked it so far, I'm not very good with humor…enjoy! (PS…Evanescence fans…here is a song of theirs)
"I still remember the world
From the eyes of a child
Slowly those feelings
Were clouded by what I know now
Where has my heart gone
An uneven trade for the real world
I want to go back to
Believing in everything and knowing nothing at all"
Kenshin nodded lazily to the song, repeating the words with his own lips. He finished drying another plate, and put it up in the cabinet. This song was a favorite of his, since it seemed to describe a lot of things about himself.
"I still remember the sun
Always warm on my back
Somehow it seems colder now
Where has my heart gone
Trapped in the eyes of a stranger
I want to go back to
Believing in everything"
"Kenshin? Soujiro? We're here to work on the project!" Misao's loud voice came from the door. Soujiro went to answer it while Kenshin turned off the CD player. Aoshi came out of his room as well, surprisingly, telling everyone he was on his way to meet with Aikane.
"Oh yes, salutations to your wife from me." Misao grinned.
"This is only a project." Aoshi grimaced.
"Oh come on…you've got to have a girlfriend or something."
"I'm afraid I believe there is no such thing as love."
"What? I bet you're gay then." Misao said playfully, crossing her arms.
"Misao-" Kaoru hissed.
"I am NOT gay."
"Denial." Misao stated.
"I'm not gay."
"Fine, you know, whatever."
"I'm telling you I'm not gay."
Kenshin stared at the two, deep in a nightmare that had just flooded his brain. One that he had been trying to forget for a while. He remembered her beautiful, deep red hair that fell in curls down to her pale collarbone; her wide, open eyes that were a deep brown. Kenshin remembered the other as well…her dark black hair, chopped short to meet her chin and nothing more; her eyes so green they had made him think of a lime crystal. They had been his playmates, they had let him climb into bed with them when he had bad dreams, had sung him songs and told him beautiful stories while drinking lemonade in the backyard.
Then they told him the truth he didn't want to believe.
"Guys…stop arguing, you're giving me a headache." Kenshin pleaded with Misao and Aoshi.
"Huh? Okay, Kenshin." Misao said, giving him a puzzled look. "Soujiro, I was absent that day, did you get our assignment papers?"
"Yeah, I did." He replied, showing her a folder.
Kenshin turned away so no one would see the angry tear that had slid down his face. He motioned for Kaoru to join him in the kitchen so they could work on the project by themselves.
"Kenshin, are you okay?" Kaoru asked, setting her book down on the table. Kenshin flipped through their folder, only to find that Megumi had given him the low-paying job of a journalist and Kaoru that of a 3rd grade teacher.
"You think she's giving everyone bad jobs on purpose?" He asked, recalling the jobs Aoshi and Soujiro had revealed as well.
"Answer me first, Kenshin."
"Yeah…I guess so. Just remembering things." Kenshin replied, flipping through his papers again.
"You can tell me anything, Kenshin. I- I like to…help." She stuttered timidly.
"I'm not going to explode or anything, calm down Kaoru." Kenshin sighed. He looked up at her; innocent blue eyes stared back at him, full of sincerity.
"Kaoru, this is going to sound weird, but I trust you even though I've only known you about a day…I've…got to tell someone anyway, it's been building up inside me…"
"Go ahead." Kaoru said, sitting down next to him.
"Promise you won't laugh…or…say anything…" He whispered, tears forming in his eyes. Kaoru nodded.
"…My parents were lesbians…"
***
"Okay, let's see…" Misao said, scanning down her paper. "What? This job is so cheap! I'm a choir director!"
"Beats owning a guitar repair shop." Soujiro smiled.
"What else…we have a 2 year old daughter and a three month old son. Great...is this woman trying to fail us or what?"
Soujiro only shrugged. "You said you take voice lessons. What kind of singing voice do you have? When you speak it sound kind of harsh and hoarse."
Misao twitched. If she wasn't mistaken, that was an insult.
"Well, I CAN sing, and I'm going to be in a band someday." she huffed.
"Me too. I tried forming one with Aoshi and Kenshin…but they're too uptight for a punk band. Imagine Aoshi singing." Soujiro laughed.
"Oooh! Oooh! WE can be in a band together!" Misao squealed.
"Oh, well…I dunno." Soujirou smiled weakly.
"Why not?"
"I don't know what your style is. And…well…you're a girl. I'm not going for a NoDoubt or Evanescence thing. Then the girl gets all the attention because she's usually the main singer."
"So you just want all the attention." Misao snapped.
"No, I want to balance it out." Soujiro replied.
"Yeah, whatever. You're just like all the other guys: arrogant and self-centered."
"I don't think you're taking this very well."
"You think?!" Misao shouted. Soujiro winced and wondered what her singing voice sounded like. Was it as god-awful as this one? He didn't have a chance to say anything else, because Misao had jerked her book bag up and stomped out the door.
***
"I hate kids. I hate you. I hate my job. That being said, start your assignment that is written on the board." Professor Saitou snapped. He turned to walk to his desk, when Kaoru's hand caught his attention.
"Yes, Miss Kamiya?"
"I don't believe anyone can read your handwriting, sir." She said, looking around the class full of confused faces. Saitou rolled his eyes and growled.
"Write a poem at least 20 lines long. It can be about anything."
Across the room, Kenshin grinned. He loved Creative Writing class. It was his best class that he always made straight A's in. This was another reason why Soujiro wanted him to join the band; so he could write songs. It was a talent of his that he liked to practice every day. He turned to look at Sanosuke, who was sitting next to him. Sanosuke wasn't one to write poetry. He wasn't one to do much of anything except experiment with new drugs. Only yesterday he had come to stay the night with them again, too stoned for words.
Hmmm…a poem, at least 20 lines long. Kenshin glanced at Kaoru, who was looking down at her paper and poking her lips with her pen. Kenshin decided to take her advice: Don't be ashamed, love is great in all forms. She had taken his secret extremely well. he was still surprised that he told her; even Soujiro and Aoshi didn't know. Well, here goes…a poem…about both of his loving mothers.
Radiant on the left, Vivacious on the right
Small Innocence walks between
Swinging woven arms in unison
Their secret best unseen
Serenity on the left, Passion on the right
Little innocence plays their game
They don't suspect the moment
When Innocence twists to shame
Elegance on the left, Outlandish on the right
Weak Innocence turns his head
They've given too many riddles
That fill his knowing head
Freak on the left, Monster on the right
Innocence no longer blind
He runs from their insanity
That troubles his young mind
No one on the left, and Nothing on the right
Innocence like a stone
His lie that was their truth
Left him all alone
There, that was it. He smiled weakly, looking over his paper. On the left was Lisa, the woman with brown eyes and deep red hair. He had called her Mommy when he was little, then just Mama, so he wouldn't sound too childish. On the right was Julie, the woman with green eyes and short messy hair, which was a dark brown. She had always been *Kaasan to him since she had studied the Japanese language in college. It was then he realized how much he missed them.
The class ended quickly, and he handed in his paper to a glowering Saitou. The poems were to be read aloud next class, but Kenshin had a good feeling that no one would understand the meaning behind his poem. All except Kaoru, perhaps.
Kenshin took the long way back to the dorm, daydreaming of being back in the warm embraces of both his wonderful mothers.
***
Aoshi walked into the dorm just as the phone rang. He hated talking to people, so he let Soujiro answer it while he went to change out of his Kickin' Chicken uniform. Soujiro came into as room just as he had torn his shirt off.
"Aoshi? It's for you. Some lady said her name was Mrs. Yoshida."
Aoshi couldn't ever remember meeting someone with that last name, but he accepted the phone anyway.
"Hello?" He sighed.
"Aoshi, it's been so long since I've seen you…I'm sure you've grown up some." Mrs. Yoshida greeted.
"Who are you?" Aoshi demanded.
"I'm sorry Aoshi…I was your neighbor. When you were still living at home."
Aoshi felt the blood drain from his face.
"How did you get my number? Why are you calling me?"
"Oh, believe me, it took a bit of scavenging to find you. But it's important Aoshi, because…well…I'm calling to say that your mother has passed away." Mrs. Yoshida said gently.
Aoshi froze. Mother was dead? The only one that had cared for him slightly?
"How?" He asked, anger boiling in him. If he didn't know better his father probably killed her.
"She did it to herself." Mrs. Yoshida answered.
"Suicide?"
"…Yes. She must have overdosed on something, or poisoned herself. They found her on her bed, hands clasped against her breast. She was clutching a locket…Aoshi, it had…it had a picture of you in it."
"Thank…thank you, Mrs. Yoshida." Aoshi forced the words out of his mouth.
"The funeral will be next Wednesday. Would you like me to pick you up?"
"I don't know if I can go, Mrs. Yoshida. I'll call you sometime tomorrow and let you know."
"That's fine, darling. I'll talk to you later then…my sympathy is with you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Yoshida. Goodbye."
Aoshi turned off the phone and dropped it on his bed. Slowly, he slumped to the floor, staring straight ahead without blinking.
So he hadn't saved her by leaving. He hadn't protected her from Father. He hadn't saved her from herself.
Something warm fell down his face, and he wiped it aside.
Water?
Tears. Real tears.
Tears for you, mother…I still have some emotion left, and it's for you.
*I used a online dictionary and supposedly that is the Japanese word for 'mother'. Correct me if I'm wrong and REVIEW!!!
"I still remember the world
From the eyes of a child
Slowly those feelings
Were clouded by what I know now
Where has my heart gone
An uneven trade for the real world
I want to go back to
Believing in everything and knowing nothing at all"
Kenshin nodded lazily to the song, repeating the words with his own lips. He finished drying another plate, and put it up in the cabinet. This song was a favorite of his, since it seemed to describe a lot of things about himself.
"I still remember the sun
Always warm on my back
Somehow it seems colder now
Where has my heart gone
Trapped in the eyes of a stranger
I want to go back to
Believing in everything"
"Kenshin? Soujiro? We're here to work on the project!" Misao's loud voice came from the door. Soujiro went to answer it while Kenshin turned off the CD player. Aoshi came out of his room as well, surprisingly, telling everyone he was on his way to meet with Aikane.
"Oh yes, salutations to your wife from me." Misao grinned.
"This is only a project." Aoshi grimaced.
"Oh come on…you've got to have a girlfriend or something."
"I'm afraid I believe there is no such thing as love."
"What? I bet you're gay then." Misao said playfully, crossing her arms.
"Misao-" Kaoru hissed.
"I am NOT gay."
"Denial." Misao stated.
"I'm not gay."
"Fine, you know, whatever."
"I'm telling you I'm not gay."
Kenshin stared at the two, deep in a nightmare that had just flooded his brain. One that he had been trying to forget for a while. He remembered her beautiful, deep red hair that fell in curls down to her pale collarbone; her wide, open eyes that were a deep brown. Kenshin remembered the other as well…her dark black hair, chopped short to meet her chin and nothing more; her eyes so green they had made him think of a lime crystal. They had been his playmates, they had let him climb into bed with them when he had bad dreams, had sung him songs and told him beautiful stories while drinking lemonade in the backyard.
Then they told him the truth he didn't want to believe.
"Guys…stop arguing, you're giving me a headache." Kenshin pleaded with Misao and Aoshi.
"Huh? Okay, Kenshin." Misao said, giving him a puzzled look. "Soujiro, I was absent that day, did you get our assignment papers?"
"Yeah, I did." He replied, showing her a folder.
Kenshin turned away so no one would see the angry tear that had slid down his face. He motioned for Kaoru to join him in the kitchen so they could work on the project by themselves.
"Kenshin, are you okay?" Kaoru asked, setting her book down on the table. Kenshin flipped through their folder, only to find that Megumi had given him the low-paying job of a journalist and Kaoru that of a 3rd grade teacher.
"You think she's giving everyone bad jobs on purpose?" He asked, recalling the jobs Aoshi and Soujiro had revealed as well.
"Answer me first, Kenshin."
"Yeah…I guess so. Just remembering things." Kenshin replied, flipping through his papers again.
"You can tell me anything, Kenshin. I- I like to…help." She stuttered timidly.
"I'm not going to explode or anything, calm down Kaoru." Kenshin sighed. He looked up at her; innocent blue eyes stared back at him, full of sincerity.
"Kaoru, this is going to sound weird, but I trust you even though I've only known you about a day…I've…got to tell someone anyway, it's been building up inside me…"
"Go ahead." Kaoru said, sitting down next to him.
"Promise you won't laugh…or…say anything…" He whispered, tears forming in his eyes. Kaoru nodded.
"…My parents were lesbians…"
***
"Okay, let's see…" Misao said, scanning down her paper. "What? This job is so cheap! I'm a choir director!"
"Beats owning a guitar repair shop." Soujiro smiled.
"What else…we have a 2 year old daughter and a three month old son. Great...is this woman trying to fail us or what?"
Soujiro only shrugged. "You said you take voice lessons. What kind of singing voice do you have? When you speak it sound kind of harsh and hoarse."
Misao twitched. If she wasn't mistaken, that was an insult.
"Well, I CAN sing, and I'm going to be in a band someday." she huffed.
"Me too. I tried forming one with Aoshi and Kenshin…but they're too uptight for a punk band. Imagine Aoshi singing." Soujiro laughed.
"Oooh! Oooh! WE can be in a band together!" Misao squealed.
"Oh, well…I dunno." Soujirou smiled weakly.
"Why not?"
"I don't know what your style is. And…well…you're a girl. I'm not going for a NoDoubt or Evanescence thing. Then the girl gets all the attention because she's usually the main singer."
"So you just want all the attention." Misao snapped.
"No, I want to balance it out." Soujiro replied.
"Yeah, whatever. You're just like all the other guys: arrogant and self-centered."
"I don't think you're taking this very well."
"You think?!" Misao shouted. Soujiro winced and wondered what her singing voice sounded like. Was it as god-awful as this one? He didn't have a chance to say anything else, because Misao had jerked her book bag up and stomped out the door.
***
"I hate kids. I hate you. I hate my job. That being said, start your assignment that is written on the board." Professor Saitou snapped. He turned to walk to his desk, when Kaoru's hand caught his attention.
"Yes, Miss Kamiya?"
"I don't believe anyone can read your handwriting, sir." She said, looking around the class full of confused faces. Saitou rolled his eyes and growled.
"Write a poem at least 20 lines long. It can be about anything."
Across the room, Kenshin grinned. He loved Creative Writing class. It was his best class that he always made straight A's in. This was another reason why Soujiro wanted him to join the band; so he could write songs. It was a talent of his that he liked to practice every day. He turned to look at Sanosuke, who was sitting next to him. Sanosuke wasn't one to write poetry. He wasn't one to do much of anything except experiment with new drugs. Only yesterday he had come to stay the night with them again, too stoned for words.
Hmmm…a poem, at least 20 lines long. Kenshin glanced at Kaoru, who was looking down at her paper and poking her lips with her pen. Kenshin decided to take her advice: Don't be ashamed, love is great in all forms. She had taken his secret extremely well. he was still surprised that he told her; even Soujiro and Aoshi didn't know. Well, here goes…a poem…about both of his loving mothers.
Radiant on the left, Vivacious on the right
Small Innocence walks between
Swinging woven arms in unison
Their secret best unseen
Serenity on the left, Passion on the right
Little innocence plays their game
They don't suspect the moment
When Innocence twists to shame
Elegance on the left, Outlandish on the right
Weak Innocence turns his head
They've given too many riddles
That fill his knowing head
Freak on the left, Monster on the right
Innocence no longer blind
He runs from their insanity
That troubles his young mind
No one on the left, and Nothing on the right
Innocence like a stone
His lie that was their truth
Left him all alone
There, that was it. He smiled weakly, looking over his paper. On the left was Lisa, the woman with brown eyes and deep red hair. He had called her Mommy when he was little, then just Mama, so he wouldn't sound too childish. On the right was Julie, the woman with green eyes and short messy hair, which was a dark brown. She had always been *Kaasan to him since she had studied the Japanese language in college. It was then he realized how much he missed them.
The class ended quickly, and he handed in his paper to a glowering Saitou. The poems were to be read aloud next class, but Kenshin had a good feeling that no one would understand the meaning behind his poem. All except Kaoru, perhaps.
Kenshin took the long way back to the dorm, daydreaming of being back in the warm embraces of both his wonderful mothers.
***
Aoshi walked into the dorm just as the phone rang. He hated talking to people, so he let Soujiro answer it while he went to change out of his Kickin' Chicken uniform. Soujiro came into as room just as he had torn his shirt off.
"Aoshi? It's for you. Some lady said her name was Mrs. Yoshida."
Aoshi couldn't ever remember meeting someone with that last name, but he accepted the phone anyway.
"Hello?" He sighed.
"Aoshi, it's been so long since I've seen you…I'm sure you've grown up some." Mrs. Yoshida greeted.
"Who are you?" Aoshi demanded.
"I'm sorry Aoshi…I was your neighbor. When you were still living at home."
Aoshi felt the blood drain from his face.
"How did you get my number? Why are you calling me?"
"Oh, believe me, it took a bit of scavenging to find you. But it's important Aoshi, because…well…I'm calling to say that your mother has passed away." Mrs. Yoshida said gently.
Aoshi froze. Mother was dead? The only one that had cared for him slightly?
"How?" He asked, anger boiling in him. If he didn't know better his father probably killed her.
"She did it to herself." Mrs. Yoshida answered.
"Suicide?"
"…Yes. She must have overdosed on something, or poisoned herself. They found her on her bed, hands clasped against her breast. She was clutching a locket…Aoshi, it had…it had a picture of you in it."
"Thank…thank you, Mrs. Yoshida." Aoshi forced the words out of his mouth.
"The funeral will be next Wednesday. Would you like me to pick you up?"
"I don't know if I can go, Mrs. Yoshida. I'll call you sometime tomorrow and let you know."
"That's fine, darling. I'll talk to you later then…my sympathy is with you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Yoshida. Goodbye."
Aoshi turned off the phone and dropped it on his bed. Slowly, he slumped to the floor, staring straight ahead without blinking.
So he hadn't saved her by leaving. He hadn't protected her from Father. He hadn't saved her from herself.
Something warm fell down his face, and he wiped it aside.
Water?
Tears. Real tears.
Tears for you, mother…I still have some emotion left, and it's for you.
*I used a online dictionary and supposedly that is the Japanese word for 'mother'. Correct me if I'm wrong and REVIEW!!!