Bloodstained Spring Day
A/N: Wow... Thank you to everyone who reviewed! This is the second of three chapters in this story, because the chapters are pretty long, I think. Oh, I'm jumping on the "Naruto craze" bandwagon, I'm watching the show on Cartoon Network every Saturday. This won't affect the story at all; I'm just saying... (sweatdrop)
I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Meh. I wish I did...
Ayame and Suzume came running in through the door right after breakfast the next day, in a flurry of green kimonos and sword-practice outfits. Megumi had barely even turned around when they launched themselves at her, yammering excitedly.
"I want to hear more, Auntie Megumi! Please, please tell us more!" Suzume begged.
"Yes, please tell us!" added Ayame.
Megumi smiled sadly to herself and sat down. She'd prepared herself mentally for telling this part, what she'd considered to be the middle part of Kenshin's story and the hardest part to tell in many ways. The girls climbed onto her lap again, which was easier than it should have been, seeing as both Ayame and Suzume were small for their ages.
"Alright, girls," Megumi said. "As long as no one comes in here needing anything, I'll continue the story. If I have to break for work, there's nothing I can do, but it should be a fairly slow day today; it's been so for the past week. Oh, and we'll have to stop for lunch."
Both girls nodded their agreement, and Megumi smiled her approval.
"Now, at the point at which I left off, Kenshin and Sanosuke had finally realized that each one loved the other. There was happiness in the dojo for the first time since Kenshin had been nearly killed the previous morning, true happiness that lifts you up so high that you don't think you'll ever come down. We did, later; we came down very hard indeed, but that is not the part of the story that I'm telling right now.
"Sano and I stayed with Kenshin for the rest of the night. I only left to get water for Kenshin in case he woke up again and was thirsty, and any medical supplies I thought I might need. Sano never left Kenshin's side, and just knelt there holding Kenshin's hand after the samurai had fallen asleep. It was so sad and so beautiful at the same time, two lovers that had newly discovered each other, and now might be torn apart by one of the strongest forces: Death.
"Neither of us fell asleep, though, and if you girls think this is a superhuman feat, well, it wasn't. The love of a person can drive anyone to do anything, from something as mundane to going without sleep to something as difficult as climbing a high mountain. In a way, Sano would have to climb a mountain, too– not a real one, of course– but he'd have to work hard emotionally and sometimes physically to help Kenshin stay alive long enough for their relationship to blossom.
"We stayed awake all of that night, it's true, but I've said nothing about the morning. In fact, as soon as the first ray of sun entered the room, Sano fell to one side and slept, laying next to Kenshin and still holding the redhead's hand. I patted his shoulder sympathetically and went to my own bed, one that I'd improvised the day before in one corner of the room– I wanted to be there if Kenshin needed anything.
"As soon as I sat down on that bed, my eyes closed, and I was blissfully oblivious to the romantic tragedy playing itself out in the center of the room. This was a small, unused room off the back of the dojo, and we all had privacy. In fact, I didn't know exactly how private it was until I was awakened after several hours by a loud, high shriek.
"'Megumi!' screamed Kaoru. 'Megumi! Kenshin's hurt!'
"I looked up at her sleepily, her words taking some time to register in my brain. After a few minutes, though, I realized my grave mistake.
"I hadn't told Kaoru that Kenshin was back, or that he was injured as badly as he was.
"Amazingly, Kenshin didn't so much as flutter an eyelid. Through the loud argument that was to come, he didn't open his eyes once. Sano's another story, but I'll come to that when it's time to.
"I looked at Kaoru, imploring her to understand. 'Kaoru, I'm sorry, but I never even saw you since Kenshin returned-'
"I was cut off by an ice-cold 'When?'
"'Excuse me?'
"'When did he return? Did he come back like this? Is he dying? Megumi, you've told me nothing! I love this man, and you've told me absolutely nothing! I need to know!'
"I tried to speak calmly to the young woman. I did feel very guilty for not telling her anything, but what I'd said was the truth; the few times I'd left the room, she was either in town or giving lessons at another dojo.
"'Kaoru,' I said, 'I'll start from the beginning, I'll tell you everything, but I have to make it brief. You'll know why once I've told you this story.'
"Kaoru nodded, so I began. 'About two days ago, you told Kenshin to go fishing. He went, and on the way back, he was attacked by someone, probably someone seeking revenge. Sano found him and brought him to the dojo. You were apparently in town, and I stayed here for the next day and a half sewing Kenshin up and medicating the wounds that had already gotten infected. After that, Sano and I stayed by Kenshin's side in case he woke up.' I decided not to tell her about the words exchanged between Sano and Kenshin just yet.
"She gave me a cold look. 'You didn't try to find me?'
"I honestly felt awful. 'You have every right to be angry, Kaoru,' I said quietly, shamefully. 'I was in the wrong here. Just, please understand that I was very busy caring for Kenshin, and didn't have time to track you down.'
"'Didn't have time?' Oh, yes, she was angry. 'I am practically Kenshin's wife, Megumi, and you didn't have time to find me?' Tears had begun to gather in her big eyes. 'What if he'd died, Megumi? Then what? Would you have buried him without me?'
"'He didn't, though, did he?' Annoyance grew in the back of my mind, displacing some of the shame. 'Kenshin didn't die. He's alive; he opened his eyes last night and spoke.'
"'He...spoke?' One tear dropped. 'Did he have anything to say to me?' Another tear.
"'No,' I replied. I would have said more, but Kaoru began to speak again.
"'Liar,' she whispered viciously. 'Liar. He did. He wouldn't wake up and say nothing to me, have no message for me!'
"I was torn between pity for Kaoru, being in as difficult a situation as she was, and anger at her for her seeming selfishness. What she said next, though, pushed me more towards anger.
"'You can leave anytime you like, Megumi.' That voice was as delicate and cold as porcelain. 'You can go home. I'll take care of Kenshin from here on. You really don't need to come back, either.'"
Ayame and Suzume stared up at Megumi.
"You had a- a fight with Auntie Kaoru?" Ayame asked, amazed.
"Yeah, did you? You two are friends now, aren't you?" Suzume wondered.
"We are," replied Megumi simply. "You'll see why later. But now, I must continue this story if you want me to finish this part before lunch."
Ayame and Suzume nodded excitedly.
"Very good, then. Anyway, Kaoru had basically just ordered me to get out of her dojo, where I was caring for Kenshin.
"'He can't take care of himself, Kaoru,' I said quietly. 'He's sleeping right now; he's ill and has lost a lot of blood. You won't be able to care for him; you have to teach Yahiko and the students at neighboring dojos. You have to do errands around the house. You have to make sure Yahiko doesn't get into any sort of trouble.'
"'I can care for him!' Her voice was fierce now. 'Megumi, you're underestimating me!' Tears had begun to fall from her eyes, moving me more towards pity for the angry, overwhelmed girl.
"'Kaoru,' I said softly. 'Kaoru, it's alright if you can't. If I leave, you know Kenshin will die. What if his wounds get infected because you weren't there to clean them? What if a host of other things happen?'
"She gasped angrily.
"I continued. 'He'll die without me here. I'm the one that's healed him before, so– and I'm sorry for sounding arrogant, but it is the truth– I'm the best one to heal him now. Please, you don't have to want me here, but let me stay until Kenshin...heals.'
"You know, don't you, girls, that I wasn't going to say 'heals' at first. I couldn't let Kaoru know how serious the situation actually was; she might have done something foolish. Here is a valuable skill, and that skill is the ability to keep calm or at least rational under stress.
"Anyway, Kaoru nodded, almost imperceptibly, and walked quickly out with only a longing backwards glance at Kenshin.
"After several minutes had passed, Sano opened his eyes, and smirked.
"'You!' I gasped, laughing despite the seriousness of our situation. 'You were awake the whole time!'
"'Only because of her,' and he glared, half-angrily, at the door that Kaoru had just left through. 'The Missy woke me up, but I didn't want to get involved or move, 'cause then she might have seen that I was holding Kenshin's hand.' He yawned, and I started to laugh hysterically.
"I don't know what makes the little, stupid things done in bad times so funny, but they are. Anything to take your mind off of the sadness is welcome, and then you grasp it like a drowning man does a floating raft or log.
"After a few minutes, we were quiet– Sano had joined the laughter some time after I started it– we'd heard a rattling coming from where Kenshin was, a rattling that sounded almost like stones clicking together repeatedly. I ran over, curious, and saw that Kenshin's teeth were chattering.
"It was a cool morning, not enough so to make anyone freeze, though. The sun was shining through the trees, falling to earth to feed the flowers that awaited it with heads tilted backwards. Nevertheless, Kenshin shivered and his teeth chattered. He'd need another blanket, at least, and I was worried. Chills in reasonably warm weather were never a good sign.
"Sano moved towards where Kenshin lay, and sat down beside the redheaded samurai. 'Kenshin,' he whispered. 'Kenshin, you gotta wake up. We all need you here, you did it last night, come on! Wake up again! Please, Kenshin.'
"Kenshin didn't stir for a while, except to shiver, and Sano laid down next to him, pressing against Kenshin to keep him warm.
"And then, just as I was leaving to get that extra blanket, Kenshin sat up a bit, opened his eyes, and spoke softly.
"'Sano?' he asked. 'Where's Sano?'
"Kenshin had sounded almost uncertain, almost as if he thought Sano would run off like he had on that night long ago. He stared down at his lap, where Sano's arm no longer lay, and said nothing more until he felt the warm hand of that arm now cupping his chin, bringing it upwards. Kenshin's eyes met two kind, brave brown eyes; Sano's eyes.
"The expression on Kenshin's face seemed impossible. How, many would ask, could one who is hurt and maybe dying smile so purely and brightly? I'm not sure of the answer myself, even now, after all this time.
"'I'm not leaving again, Kenshin,' he said firmly. 'So don't worry about that, ever.' Kenshin opened his mouth to reply, but Sano, knowing what he would say, put one finger on the redhead's lips. 'No, Kenshin. I won't let you leave, either; Death's gonna have to fight me to the end to take you.'
"Kenshin smiled again, his large violet eyes blinking sleepily. I left the room at this point to go get more blankets, but Sano told me later what had happened, or in my opinion, what had finally happened.
"Kenshin had leaned up and kissed Sano on the lips. It was a short kiss, almost chaste but for the pressure put into it, hard and tender and loving at the same time. Sano had wanted so badly at that moment to just rip off all of Kenshin's clothing right then and there, but he didn't. He had more respect for Kenshin than that."
"Auntie Megumi?" Ayame asked, interrupting Megumi's memories.
"Yes?" She looked down at the girl who was like a daughter to her.
"Did they ever...?" Ayame blushed. "You know..."
"No," Megumi replied. "No, not while Kenshin was still hurt so badly. At one point, he thought himself well again, but that didn't happen for months. And these days that I'm telling you about right now were some of the most important."
Ayame nodded, indicating that she wanted Megumi to continue. Megumi did.
"As I was saying, Sano was overcome by his love for the redheaded samurai, who had broken the kiss and now lay sleeping in his love's arms. He began to cry softly, in anger at himself more than anything. In his mind, had he not run off from Kenshin on that summer night, Kenshin would have told the younger man that he loved him sooner. They'd have had more time together, more tragedies, but many more joyous times.
"And now it might all be cut short.
"I myself am not so sure of the truth of Sano's reason for his anger at himself. If the two had indeed confessed their love for each other in a drunken haze, both might have been afraid that it was the alcohol talking. Kenshin, at least, would have been too embarrassed to speak to Sano for days.
"As it was, though, the two were united. Not too soon after Kenshin fell asleep, Sano did as well; the emotions had run high at the dojo for several days, and Sano had gotten barely any sleep. When I came back in, carrying two extra blankets that I'd managed to find in some closet, I saw them laying together, on Kenshin's bed, Sano with his arms around Kenshin and Kenshin with his face buried in Sano's chest. I covered them both, and went to bed myself, even though it was only mid-afternoon.
"When I woke up, it was because of a knock on the door of the sickroom. I thought it was much later than it really was, and I opened the door, preparing to yell angrily at whoever was disturbing the three of us in the middle of the night.
"It was Yahiko, carrying tea. That he hadn't dropped it was a miracle, and I realized that I was so surprised at the time that I would have taken that tea no matter how late at night he'd knocked.
"'Can I see him?' Yahiko asked, pushing the tray with the tea set on it into my hands and rushing past me.
"I replied that it would be fine, as long as Kenshin wasn't disturbed; at least, I would have if Yahiko hadn't gasped in wonder.
"'They're...' he indicated Sano and Kenshin. 'Are they... You know... Uh...'
"I nodded, almost imperceptibly, but Yahiko caught it. Mark my words, girls, he'll be a fine samurai when he grows up. He can detect the tiniest motion, the smallest change in mood.
"'Oh, you missed dinner,' he offered an explanation for the tea. 'It's just over, and Kaoru wanted me to bring in some tea for you guys. She also wanted me to ask you if she could come and see Kenshin.'
"My blood ran cold. I didn't need her to see Kenshin and Sano resting in each others' arms; that would definitely make her even angrier than she had been. Yahiko seemed to sense this as well, because he broke into my anxious thoughts.
"'How 'bout I tell her that he's asleep?' He indicated Kenshin. 'Or that he's just too tired to take any visitors?'
"I nodded, and leaned over and kissed Yahiko on top of his head. Without him, Kaoru surely would have burst in, saw Sano and Kenshin holding each other, screamed, and woke Kenshin. He didn't need that. I didn't need that.
"Yahiko left, and the tea remained undrunk by my bed, for as soon as Yahiko had gone, I fell back into sleep. This time, I wasn't disturbed.
"I awoke the next morning. Sleep seemed to have a tight hold on my eyes, and I had to shake my head a few times to get some sense back into myself. I wasn't sure how late in the morning it was, but the sun was already quite strong, and Sano and Kenshin were already awake.
"They were sitting close together, more so than usual, and having some type of hushed conversation. I couldn't hear what was being said; I only know it now because Sano told me later. In any case, I didn't occupy myself with it, and left to put the now-cold tea in some other room besides the one I'd been sleeping in.
"It turns out that they had woken up only about an hour before I did, and had been carrying on a conversation for several minutes when I awoke.
"'Hey, Kenshin?' Sano had asked.
"Kenshin turned so that he was looking up into Sano's face, but still held in Sano's strong arms. He felt so protected there, so safe from all earthly troubles.
"'Uhh... This might seem a little awkward,' Sano said quietly. Kenshin's violet eyes had a curious look in them, though, so Sano continued. 'I just... I need to know who did this to you.'
"Kenshin paled, and Sano held him closer, calming him down. 'Oh, Sanosuke,' the red-haired samurai whispered. 'No, no, you don't need me to tell you. You shouldn't be burdened down with the weight of hatred and vengeance, that you shouldn't. We both were once, and that is a heavy and ugly thing to carry on one's back.'
"'Please?' Sano replied. 'Kenshin, you have to have more faith in me than that. I won't hunt anyone down. I won't. Please believe me, Kenshin. Please tell me.'
"Kenshin sighed unhappily. 'Sano, what if one of your friends had done this to me? Then what? What if it had been someone you liked? You'd never be able to trust that person again. You'd never be able to trust anyone again, Sano! I can't be responsible for that, that I can't!'
"'Well, is it one of my friends?' Sano asked. Kenshin shook his head, and the dark-haired man continued. 'Please, just tell me, Kenshin! What if he tries to hurt me next?'
"Kenshin looked up unhappily, torn between giving Sano information that could lead to someone's death or possibly causing the taller man to get hurt because information was withheld from him. 'It was... It was Gohae.'
"'What?' Sano's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Gohae as in 'the man who can't use either thumb' Gohae? The false hitokiri battousai?' Kenshin winced, and Sano realized too late that 'hitokiri battosai' was not a phrase Kenshin wanted to hear; even after a long time, it brought too many painful memories. 'How...?'
"'Strapped to his wrists,' the red-haired samurai replied. 'I do give him credit for that much, that I do. It was fairly ingenious.'
"Sano gave him a disbelieving look. 'Kenshin,' he said, 'if you could fight him off when he was at his best with a sword, why couldn't you fight him off when he had a blade strapped to his wrists?'
"Kenshin looked away, shame and sadness filling his pale face. It was a while before he spoke, and when he did, Sano came to regret pushing the issue this much.
"'Oh, Sano,' the small redhead answered sadly, quietly, 'I couldn't fight back.' He let his head fall limply against Sano's chest. 'Gohae said he'd go into the village and kill everyone he saw with his sword. I couldn't let him take innocent lives, that I couldn't. Better that it be my one life than the lives of a hundred.'
"Sano gave Kenshin an angry look. 'Never let me hear you say that again. You think your life's not important? You think my life and Kaoru's life and all of the other lives you saved aren't important?'
"Kenshin looked shocked. 'I never said that, Sanosuke! Where are you getting all of this from?'
"'You've saved more lives than you've taken, by now,' Sano answered, taking Kenshin's small hands in one of his own larger ones. 'If you'd died during the Revolution, or died while you were wandering, I'd still be a street fighter. Or maybe I wouldn't. Maybe someone would have killed me by now, because I never met you, so I never met Anji, so I never learned-'
"There was a pause as Sano stared at Kenshin, who had wrenched his hands from his lover's and was now covering his ears.
"'Alright, Sano,' Kenshin said, uncovering his ears and giving the younger man a pleading, tired look. 'I'm alive, aren't I? We're together. That's all that matters to me now.'
"Sano had a faraway look in his eyes, glazed over, almost as though he'd retreated to some quiet corner of his mind to think. He did feel guilty now for forcing the matter upon Kenshin, very guilty indeed. He also felt guilty, though, that he'd allowed Kenshin to get into this situation in the first place, so hurt and in so much pain.
"Suddenly, Sano seemed to return to himself. As he did, though, he stood up. Kenshin stayed on the floor, staring up at the tall man, a betrayed look in his large violet eyes. Sano apparently ran out of the room; he almost knocked me over as I came back in. His eyes were terrible to behold, filled with a dark type of anger and hate the likes of which I'd never seen before and not seen since. I heard his feet pounding along the dojo floor, and it was only seconds after he'd rushed by that the pounding grew fainter. He was running so fast that he was halfway to town in several minutes, or so I was told by indignant neighbors whom he'd shoved past.
"I, personally, was more worried for Kenshin. I didn't know what had happened. Had he said something wrong? Did Sano realize how much he'd actually have to support Kenshin? Sano had told me about his time in the Sekihoutai and his beloved Captain Sagara. So I knew that he only ran like that from one thing, and that was the death of someone he loved. It was, I think, his way of clearing his head, his way of using mindless running to keep himself from doing something stupid and self-destructive.
"I ran into the sickroom, expecting to see Kenshin lying dead. He was alive, though, and sorry looking. He sat on the floor, his big eyes misty with tears. I no longer felt concern for Sano, only anger. He'd run off for some stupid reason, I was sure, and left his lover here on the floor when that lover needed him most.
"'What's wrong?' I asked, kneeling in front of Kenshin. He only shook his head, and I repeated the question.
"He still didn't answer. 'Are you feeling ill?' I asked. 'Do you have a fever? Why did Sano leave? What happened?'
"Kenshin looked at me blankly, and then a light of recognition began to shine in his eyes. It was as though he'd just realized I was there, and this disturbed me deeply. Wherever his mind had been, it had been a dark, sad place indeed.
"I hoped that Kenshin might answer my questions once he realized I was there, but I had no such luck. He answered, but I couldn't make sense of what he said until much later.
"'Gohae,' was the one word that Kenshin said, and then he fell back on to his bed, and stayed there, not moving or making a sound.
"'Gohae?' I asked. 'Gohae? What does that mean, Kenshin? Please, I need to know if I'm going to find Sano!'
"He didn't move. It was eery, the way his eyes stared vacantly up at the ceiling, and I was very unnerved.
"I was very curious, though, and my curiosity won over the chills that went down my spine. 'Kenshin. Kenshin! I have to know what you mean if you want Sano back here! Do you mean Gohae, as in the man who claimed to be the hitokiri battousai? Sano's in danger, Kenshin, he could die! Are you really that selfish?'
"I was raging, and I knew I shouldn't. It wasn't Kenshin's fault that Sano had run off. I was taking my frustration and fear out on Kenshin, and I felt awful for doing that.
"No matter how much I pleaded with Kenshin to speak, no matter how much I shouted and cajoled, he just lay there as if he was dead, his only movement being the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Something in him had died, and would be reborn only when Sano came back. That thing was his hope, his simple dream that he and Sano would live together normally one day.
"I slumped against the wall hopelessly, sitting next to Kenshin. Kaoru hadn't come back in yet, and I would have been glad to have any company at all, even her angry, defensive presence. I learned later that she avoided me because she was so ashamed of how she'd acted before; she didn't want to risk another tense confrontation while emotions were still running so high at the dojo.
"I would have cried, but I didn't want Kenshin to wake up and see me. He'd have lost all hope for sure, and if that had happened... Well, this story would be that much shorter and sadder. He was still running a fever, and I was positive that the only thing keeping him alive was Sano's love. I felt so angry at the younger man then; it was the height of selfishness to just leave Kenshin without any explanation, just running off and deserting the person who was so dependent upon him.
"Late afternoon came, then twilight, and Sano didn't return. I slept, exhausted from worrying and waiting, my muscles tensed to run over to Sano and either slap him or treat his wounds, depending upon what condition he returned in. My sleep was dreamless, and light, although it was uninterrupted by anything for a long time. The night was so quiet; not even an insect made a noise, sensing the sad mood that hung over the entire dojo like a thick fog. Indeed, like a fog, it had almost completely isolated us. The dojo was normally busy every day, but since Kenshin had been hurt, people seemed to feel the gloom that had settled, and respectfully left us in peace. The sun still shone and the world went on outside, but neither Sano nor Kenshin nor I saw any of it.
"Then, so late at night that it was probably early morning, the door to the sickroom opened. I looked up, expecting to see Kaoru or Yahiko with some urgent piece of news, but instead, a tall form stood in the doorway. For a second, I was scared, but then I took in the outline. I saw that there was shaggy hair, pants that were a little too short, a slender yet muscular body.
"Sano was back. I lit a candle, just to be sure, and I almost didn't recognize him. His prized jacket hung over his right arm, and I wondered why he wasn't wearing it; the night was cold. I moved the candle and gasped, seeing why. Sano's left arm was a bloody mess, his face little better. He had a black eye and a split lip, and I was truly frightened that I'd have both of them here, dying side-by-side. I moved the candle downward, illuminating his body, and I gasped.
"The right side of his chest was red and swollen, indicating that he'd broken at least one rib. Sano had to be in such excruciating pain that it would have been nearly impossible to walk back here, even if he was only a short distance away. My concern for him outweighed my anger that he'd run off; that argument could wait until he was bandaged and more comfortable.
"I noticed then that he was moving yet again. I wanted to shout at him, to call him an idiot, to ask if he was going to leave Kenshin again; that is what I thought he would do. He didn't, though. Something had been driving Sano to come home despite his horrible injuries and pain, something with long red hair, purple eyes, and a cross-shaped scar.
"Sano winced as he knelt beside where Kenshin still lay, staring up at the ceiling. He took some of the red hair that I'd let loose from the ponytail much earlier in this tragedy– I had to wash that hair some time– and stroked it. It was growing paler just as Kenshin grew paler and sicker, but it was still so soft and smooth. I saw tears drop from two deep-brown eyes, tears that fell onto the pale, scarred face below them, and rolled off quietly.
"'He's gone, isn't he?' Sano asked me, his voice sounding tortured. 'Died while I was out, fighting like some stupid bastard.'
"I didn't know how to reply. I wasn't sure if Kenshin was dead, didn't even know what he'd been doing, staring like that since Sano had left.
"Now Sano talked to Kenshin. 'Hey,' he whispered, stroking Kenshin's unscarred cheek with two fingers. 'Hey, I avenged you, Kenshin. Even if you're gone,' and here Sano couldn't continue for a few minutes, 'even if you're gone, I love you. I still love you, and I don't think you're a coward, and I'm sorry. I fell. I'm falling right now, and what am I going to do if I can't catch you, huh?' His voice was shaking with emotion.
"Now, it was my turn to stare at Kenshin. One of his hands was moving slowly up at the same time that a smile was just as slowly crossing his face. Sano was transfixed with the redhead's lips, so transfixed that he didn't see the hand until it came to rest on top of Sano's.
"He gasped, and then Kenshin seemed to return to life. His violet eyes blinked quickly several times, and he sat up so that he was facing Sano.
"Sano was overjoyed at this new development, and made it known, pulling Kenshin to him with his unhurt arm, and kissing the rurouni hard on the lips. Kenshin responded, and they stayed like that for almost a minute before I heard a gasp from the doorway.
"Apparently, it wasn't as early as I had thought. One of the dojo's residents had overcome her embarrassment at her earlier behavior and decided to give Kenshin a visit. I whirled around, and gasped myself at who it was– the worst possible person to see what had just happened.
"Kaoru stood aghast in the doorway, tears gathering in her eyes.
Hope you liked it! It's hard to update quickly, sophomore year's tough... Sorry.