A RK Cinderella Story
by: nyllemnev
Disclaimer: They are not mine... okay...
Notes: The song used in Ch3 is not mine. It was disney's. You know the theme song of Cinderella in Disney verson.
Chapter 4: Beginning of a Friendship
"Found the right girl, ne Prince Kenshin?" Sano smirked seeing Kenshin get back in the palace, which is at the moment starting to desert as some of the guests are going homwe.
"Oro?!? I don't know what you're talking about." Kenshin said blushing furiously.
"I saw you with the little missy." Sano smirked again seeing Kenshin blushed more. "C'mon so when did you meet her? Tell me, c'mon buddy. I'm your best friend."
"Oro?!? I just met her last night." Kenshin said, starting to walk towards his room with Sano following. "The girl I told you, the one I saved from the bad guys."
"Oh, I see." Sano said, nodding his head. "So, is she the reason why you are so excited to go out, you know, walking around the village?"
"ORO?!? I don't know what you're talking about Sano!" Kenshin said defensively, blushing a little. "I go there just to relax."
"Yeah and meet a certain little missy with long hair in a ponytail, ne?"
"Ah... This is not going to end." Kenshin shook his head as he opened the door to his bedroom.
"C'mon, just tell me. You like her, ne Kenshin? You like that girl! I knew it! Remember what I told you? That you will meet the right girl this night? And you did, ne?"
"I only met her last night!" Kenshin said, frowning as he put his hands on his pocket. His eyes widened when he felt something on his pocket. "Oro?" he said as he draw a blue-indigo ribbon from his pocket.
"Eh? What's that thing?" Sano raised an eyebrow at the thing Kenshin is clutching in his hand.
"Oro?!? No! Nothing!!" Kenshin chuckled, hiding the ribbon his back.
"Give me that! Give me that! Let me see!!!" Sano said as he began to wrestle with Kenshin, trying to snatch the thing on his hand.
"No!!! Sano!!! I told you it's nothing!! Oro?!? Give me that!!!"
"A ribbon?" Sano frowned, staring at the blue-indigo ribbon he have just snatched from his friend. "I never knew you use a ribbon to tie your hair."
"ORO?!? Of course not! Just give me that!" Kenshin said, trying to get the ribbon from Sano who took advatage of Kenshin's height as he examined the ribbon intently.
"Then why are you keeping a ribbon?" Sano frowned at Kenshin. "Don't tell me you're a gay?!? God Kenshin!!! So that's why you don't like those pretty girls!!! I never knew you prefer guys."
"ORORORO?!?!? I'M NOT A GAY!!!!" Kenshin glared at Sano.
"Okay, okay." Sano said, throwing the ribbon on a table. "What's the puss all about? It's just a ribbon."
"This is Kaoru-dono's ribbon. I can't believe I forgot to return it to her." Kenshin sighed as he put the ribbon on his pocket again.
"Kaoru? The 'right girl' ne?"
"Just let it drop Sano."
"If you don't like her, then why do you have her ribbon?"
"One of the guys managed to cut my arm, the night I saved Kaoru-dono. She used her ribbon to keep my arm from bleeding." Kenshin smiled at the thought.
"Hey, hey. What is all with that goofy smile?" Sano said, punching Kenshin's back lightly. "I knew it. Just tell me you like her!!!"
"Fine, fine!" Kenshin said, blushing a little. "So what if I like her? But it's nothing more than that."
"That's where it all started, Himura! A little crush then it will develop into something more."
"Oro? But who knows if I will ever see her again?" Kenshin sighed.
"You have her ribbon. You can go back to town, return it to her." Sano said. "Besides, you have walked her home, so you already know where she lives."
"Eh?" a silly smile appeared on Kenshin face, and Sano smirked knowingly. "Yeah. That's right."
"Now tell me you don't like her." Sano muttered. 'I can now see that it will surely develop into something! I'm sure of it.'
***
"One, two, three..." Kaoru counted as she took several swings on her bokken. It's been a long time since she have practiced with her bokken.
"Doing some practice for a change, ne?" Yahiko said, grabbing a bokken from the dojo and joining Kaoru in her practice.
"Aunt Megumi and the others was still asleep." Kaoru said in between swings. "And besides I think I need some exercise. It's been a long time since I last practiced."
"Yeah." Yahiko said, suddenly attacking Kaoru with his bokken. She quickly blocked it with her own bokken.
"What was that for?!?"
"Hehe... I just want to know if you still can hold you weapon against me." Yahiko smirked as he jumped away from Kaoru.
"Was that a challenge?" she raised an eyebrow and smirked back at him, positioning herself in a defensive stance.
"Take it like that." Yahiko said as he lunge an attack to his friend. Kaoru only stepped a little to the left to avoid his bokken. "I won't go easy on you, busu."
"Mou! Who says I want you to go easy on me!!! You're just afraid that I will beat you up again just like before, ne Yahiko-CHAN?" Kaoru smiled seeing Yahiko beginning to fume. He really hate it when she called him chan.
"Grrr... Shut up old hag!!!" Yahiko glared at Kaoru who glared back at him after hearing her 'favorite' nick name from him.
"Mou!!! I'll get you for that, little brat!!!!" she said as she lunged forward, only to stop mid-way, catching Yahiko off guard as she hit him on his side. "Hehe... Looks like I can still beat you as before, ne Yahiko-chan?"
"Grrr... You just caught me off guard. I'm really not gonna get easy on you." he said, rubbing his back, standing up in a defensive stance.
"Fine." Kaoru smirked as she lunged again, this time Yahiko blocked her attacks. "Looking good." she said in between her attacks. "You can block my attacks."
"Heh... As if!! You're always a slow poke, busu. Even a cry baby can blocked your attacks."
"NANI?!?" Kaoru glared at him, as they both backed away from each other. "How dare you call me a slow poke?!? Small kid!!!"
"You are!!! And I'm not a small kid!!!!" Yahiko growled. "We're just the same age!!!!"
"But I'm taller than you!" Kaoru smirked when she saw Yahiko throw a deadly glare at her. 'And it's been a long time since I've last seen him fume like that.' she added to herself.
"This is it!!! Don't wail like a child if I hit you hard enough." Yahiko grumbled angrily as he jumped high, grabbing his bokken over his head.
"Oh yeah." Kaoru smirked as she positioned her bokken horizontally, with both hands, jumping to meet Yahiko's weapon. They both landed on the floor, panting.
'Great she's already tired. I can catch her now.' Yahiko smirked mentally. He quickly jumped towards Kaoru while she was still catching her breath, trying to catch her off guard. But the old shinodohai was still quick, dodging his attack and hitting him on back. "OucH!!!" he cried in pain as he landed on the floor, with a loud thug.
"See, I can still beat you Yahiko-chan. Who says I was a slow poke!" Kaoru smirked as she watched Yahiko sit on the floor, rubbing him back again. "I always beat you."
"Heh... As if! Not because you beat me today... you're still an old busu anyway." Yahiko said aloud making Kaoru fume.
"Mou! HoW Dare you call me names!!!! Watch you big mouth little Yahiko-boy!!!!"
"Grrr... How dare you call me little boy?!?"
"What do you call yourself then?!? A man?!? C'mon don't make me laugh, brat!!!"
"And you want me to call you a girl?!? You're just an old hag stuck in a girl's body!!!"
"WHY YOU-?!?"
And that was it. Kaoru and Yahiko fought in a huge puff of smoke, both calling each other names, those things that they both missed. The name-callings, the everyday practice, their usual bickerings... Things that they haven't done since Kaoru started working for her step mother.
"You dare call me a busu!!!!"
"You dare call me a little brat!!!!"
"KAORU!!!! What in the hell are you doing playing with that boy!!!" Megumi appeared in the dojo, looking really pissed off. Making Kaoru and Yahiko stop fighting.
"G-gomen..." Kaoru started to say but Megumi stopped her.
"Have you prepared our breakfast?!?" Megumi snarled angrily at her.
"Hai. I have cooked breakfast after practicing." Kaoru nodded. "Don't worry I will start doing the laundry now." she said before placing her bokken and Yahiko's back to it's place.
"Make it quick! You still have to go to the market to buy Tomoe some needles and thread. She's going to do some cross-stitching today." Megumi said before walking back to the mansion.
"Eh? Back again to work?" Yahiko sighed. "Still got to feed the horses anyway."
"Yeah." Kaoru sighed too. "Maybe we could practice again. First thing in the morning ne?"
"Yeah." Yahiko nodded. "And next time I won't go easy on you again, ugly busu!!!" he added before running for his life.
"MOU!!!" Kaoru only sughed in exasperation, stucking her tongue out on him. "Beh!!!!!"
***
"Mou!" Kaoru sighed. "I still can't get why Tomoe-san needs this so many threads and why Kamatari-san wants some sweets again. I only bought that huge box of sweets yesterday. Don't tell me she have eaten it all yet." she giggled at the thought.
"I can't really think of how she could do it." she smiled more to herself as she walked around the town towards Tae's dress shop. "In just a day... but come to think of it, doing this gives me an excuse to visit some of my friends in town." she smiled again widely to some people who passed by her.
"Ohayo!" Kaoru greeted happily as she entered her friend's shop. "How's business doing, Tae-san?"
"Oh, it's you again, Kao-chan." Tae smiled happily at the younger lady. "Have a seat."
"No." Kaoru shook her head. "I just went it to buy some threads and needles. Tomoe-san is cross-stsching."
"Oh, a moment. Can you give me the list?" Tae said and Kaoru handed her a piece of paper. "So are they treating you well?" she asked as she search for some colors of DMCs.
"Uhm... well, just the usual." Kaoru smiled.
"That's what I'm afraid of really." Tae looked up to Kaoru and sighed. "They let you go to the ball last night?"
"Well something like that." Kaoru smiled.
"Eh? What do you mean something like that?" Tae frowned.
"Well they only let me go with them, but they didn't let me go inside the palace." Kaoru said. "But I do have the chance to peek through the window. I have watched the people dance through the window." she blushed.
"Did you see him?"
"No." Kaoru shook her head, and touch her face feeling her face blush more.
"What's with all that blushing?" Tae smiled. "Did you meet someone?"
"Eh? Yeah." Kaoru replied shyly. "I saw that man who saved me from those bad guys the other night."
"Oh I see." Tae smiled knowingly. "What happened?" she asked.
"Well, it's really weird." Kaoru giggled. "But he asked me for a dance. We danced out there, down by the moonlight."
"Oh how romantic!" Tae said dreamily.
"C'mon Tae-san he's just a new friend." Kaoru said blushing even more.
"I never said anything." Tae said, smiling again. "You sound so defensive, Kao-chan."
"I am?" Kaoru asked shyly.
"Yeah, whatever." Tae said, giving Kaoru the things she needed.
"Thanks Tae-san." Kaoru smiled as she carried the bag with her. "So i guess I'll see you later."
"Yeah." Tae said with a twinkle of her eyes. "Be careful on your way. Come back again."
"Hai, hai." Kaoru nodded, smiling brightly at her friend.
***
"Where can I find her?" Kenshin asked to no one as he walked around the town, hands on the sleeves of his gi. "I should've just go to her house. Maybe she's there."
'But that was sooo embarassing! What would I tell her if I went to her house?' he thought. 'At least I can accidentally bump her when I see her in here. Then I could walk her home again, some things like that. But the thing is... I can't find her.'
He sighed again. 'Why am I feeling like this? I just met her a couple of days ago. Why am I looking forward in seeing her again? Come to think of it, I'm using her ribbon just to see her again. What happens next if I give it back to her? I will lost my reason on seeing her again.' he sighed again. He was deep in his thoughts that he never noticed the young he have bumped.
"ORO?!?"
"Oh no." the girl whom he bumped, was now on the ground picking up some colorful thread and things used for sewing on the ground.
"G-Gomen-nasai..." Kenshin said, helping the girl pick up the things on the ground. "I'm really sorry, I'm not watching my way. I have something in my mind that I never notice you."
"Eh? You again?"
Kenshin looked up only to drown in those deep blue orbs staring back at him. He can't believe it! She is really in front of him.
"K-Kaoru-dono?"
"Yeah." Kaoru smiled as she picked the last item on the ground putting it inside the bag. "Thanks." she smiled at Kenshin who puts the things he have got to her bag. "What are you doing here?"
"Oro? A-anou..." Kenshin stammered.
"Hmmm?"
"ORO???" Kenshin tried to say something but he just can't. 'Baka say something!'
"It's alright, if you don't want to tell me." Kaoru said. "I'm going to buy some sweets in Kionji-san's bake shop. Wanna join me?"
"H-hai." Kenshin nodded as he walked beside her. "A-ano... Kaoru-dono, i was really... oro???"
"Eh? You what?"
"Oro??? Eh??? A-anou... I was really... uhm..." Kenshin gulped. "What a wonderful sight!" he said aloud pointing to the first thing he saw.
"Eh?" Kaoru stared, bit puzzled, at the thing Kenshin is pointing, it was a man selling some colorful balloons nearby.
'Baka! What so wonderful about that???' Kenshin silently kicked himself for saying something foolish.
"Kenshin? Daijobou?"
"Oro??? Hai! Hai! Daijobou!" Kenshin smiled sheepishly, scratching his head.
"If you say so..." Kaoru said. "Here we go." she said as she entered a bake shop, Kenshin followed her.
"Ohayo!" Kaoru gladly greeted.
"Ohayo! Oh! Kaoru-chan!" Kionji smiled happily at the young lady. "It's good to see you again." his eyes fell on the man beside Kaoru. "Oh, it's you again."
"Ohayo, Kionji-dono." Kenshin smiled at the old man. "You still remembered me."
"Of course." Kionji smiled. "I never thought you knew Kao-chan. Want some cake?" he again asked, offering some sweet cake and tea to Kenshin and Kaoru.
"Oh, don't..." Kaoru was about to refuse but Kionji push a plate of cake to her. "Arigato." she smiled shyly.
"Eh? I just met her a couple of days and I kinda bumped into her this morning." Kenshin said, again scratching the back of his head.
"Oh I see. Of course I still remember you. Especially that scar on your face. And the red hair too." Kionji said. "The exact description of the prince! Red hair and huge scar on his left cheek! One may think that you are the prince disguising himself as some sort of farm boy, or something like that."
Kenshin nearly choked at Kionji's comment. "Ororororo????!???!"
"Eh? Daijobou, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked worriedly as she pat his back.
"Hai, hai..." Kenshin smiled nervously. "Don't worry."
"That scar is actually my fault." Kaoru said. "I mean, he got it when he saved me from the bad guys."
"Oh you do?" Kionji said to Kenshin. "It's good thing. How come you're walking alone in the dark! it's very dangerous Kao-chan. Good thing Kenshin-san found you." he turned, stern faced to Kaoru who smiled sheepishly.
"But it's not your fault Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said. 'I already got this scar ages.'
"It's in the past, so let's just forget it, ne?" Kaoru smiled and Kenshin again could only drown.
"Here's the sweets Kao-chan." Kionji smiled, watching the couple staring at each other, snapping Kenshin and Kaoru back to reality.
"A-arigato... Kionji-san." Kaoru smiled. "So, I guess I'll see you next time. Thanks for the cakes."
"Anytime, Kao-chan." Kionji smiled. "You too, Kenshin-san. You visit here anytime ne?"
"Arigato Kionji-dono." Kenshin smiled at the kind man, before going out with Kaoru.
"I can carry those for you, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin offered.
"Oh, it's alright I can..." she never finished her sentence as Kenshin snatched the bag and box she is carrying. "Mou!"
"Hehe... what kind of a gentleman I am, if I let you carry all of this stuffs?" Kenshin smiled at her.
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Kaoru-dono... uhm..." Kenshin again stammered.
"Eh? Nani?"
"You know... er... I was really... uhm... l-l-looking..." Kenshin gulped. "Iwasreallylookingforyou"
"Eh? Sumimasen?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow and Kenshin gulped again.
"Anou... I wan saying... I was realy... l-l-looking... uhm... f-for... you." Kenshin said finally.
"Eh? How come?" Kaoru said with a blush.
"Oro? I want to give you something." Kenshin said, taking something from his pocket. "This..."
"That's my ribbon!" Kaoru smiled at him. "you kept it?"
"This is yours." Kenshin gave the ribbon to Kaoru but she shook her head. "Oro??"
"You can keep it." Kaoru smiled.
"Oro???" Kenshin frowned, full of question marks.
"As a sign of our friendship." she smiled again. "So you can always remember that you have a friend named Kaoru."
"Oro?" Kenshin smiled as realization hit him. "Of course. I will take care of it." he smiled as he put it back on his pocket.
"I'm glad." Kaoru said. "Here we are now." she said as they reach the huge Kamiya mansion. "Thanks for walking me home again and for carrying my things."
"Anytime Kaoru-dono." Kenshin smiled. "So, can I see you again?"
"I told you Kenshin... of course." Kaoru nodded with a smile. "We're friends, ne?"
"Friends... Sounds good to me." Kenshin said.
tbc...
A/N: Another chappie done. What do you think? Like it? Not? Tell me! Leave your reviews. till next chappie!!! Ja!!!
by: nyllemnev
Disclaimer: They are not mine... okay...
Notes: The song used in Ch3 is not mine. It was disney's. You know the theme song of Cinderella in Disney verson.
Chapter 4: Beginning of a Friendship
"Found the right girl, ne Prince Kenshin?" Sano smirked seeing Kenshin get back in the palace, which is at the moment starting to desert as some of the guests are going homwe.
"Oro?!? I don't know what you're talking about." Kenshin said blushing furiously.
"I saw you with the little missy." Sano smirked again seeing Kenshin blushed more. "C'mon so when did you meet her? Tell me, c'mon buddy. I'm your best friend."
"Oro?!? I just met her last night." Kenshin said, starting to walk towards his room with Sano following. "The girl I told you, the one I saved from the bad guys."
"Oh, I see." Sano said, nodding his head. "So, is she the reason why you are so excited to go out, you know, walking around the village?"
"ORO?!? I don't know what you're talking about Sano!" Kenshin said defensively, blushing a little. "I go there just to relax."
"Yeah and meet a certain little missy with long hair in a ponytail, ne?"
"Ah... This is not going to end." Kenshin shook his head as he opened the door to his bedroom.
"C'mon, just tell me. You like her, ne Kenshin? You like that girl! I knew it! Remember what I told you? That you will meet the right girl this night? And you did, ne?"
"I only met her last night!" Kenshin said, frowning as he put his hands on his pocket. His eyes widened when he felt something on his pocket. "Oro?" he said as he draw a blue-indigo ribbon from his pocket.
"Eh? What's that thing?" Sano raised an eyebrow at the thing Kenshin is clutching in his hand.
"Oro?!? No! Nothing!!" Kenshin chuckled, hiding the ribbon his back.
"Give me that! Give me that! Let me see!!!" Sano said as he began to wrestle with Kenshin, trying to snatch the thing on his hand.
"No!!! Sano!!! I told you it's nothing!! Oro?!? Give me that!!!"
"A ribbon?" Sano frowned, staring at the blue-indigo ribbon he have just snatched from his friend. "I never knew you use a ribbon to tie your hair."
"ORO?!? Of course not! Just give me that!" Kenshin said, trying to get the ribbon from Sano who took advatage of Kenshin's height as he examined the ribbon intently.
"Then why are you keeping a ribbon?" Sano frowned at Kenshin. "Don't tell me you're a gay?!? God Kenshin!!! So that's why you don't like those pretty girls!!! I never knew you prefer guys."
"ORORORO?!?!? I'M NOT A GAY!!!!" Kenshin glared at Sano.
"Okay, okay." Sano said, throwing the ribbon on a table. "What's the puss all about? It's just a ribbon."
"This is Kaoru-dono's ribbon. I can't believe I forgot to return it to her." Kenshin sighed as he put the ribbon on his pocket again.
"Kaoru? The 'right girl' ne?"
"Just let it drop Sano."
"If you don't like her, then why do you have her ribbon?"
"One of the guys managed to cut my arm, the night I saved Kaoru-dono. She used her ribbon to keep my arm from bleeding." Kenshin smiled at the thought.
"Hey, hey. What is all with that goofy smile?" Sano said, punching Kenshin's back lightly. "I knew it. Just tell me you like her!!!"
"Fine, fine!" Kenshin said, blushing a little. "So what if I like her? But it's nothing more than that."
"That's where it all started, Himura! A little crush then it will develop into something more."
"Oro? But who knows if I will ever see her again?" Kenshin sighed.
"You have her ribbon. You can go back to town, return it to her." Sano said. "Besides, you have walked her home, so you already know where she lives."
"Eh?" a silly smile appeared on Kenshin face, and Sano smirked knowingly. "Yeah. That's right."
"Now tell me you don't like her." Sano muttered. 'I can now see that it will surely develop into something! I'm sure of it.'
***
"One, two, three..." Kaoru counted as she took several swings on her bokken. It's been a long time since she have practiced with her bokken.
"Doing some practice for a change, ne?" Yahiko said, grabbing a bokken from the dojo and joining Kaoru in her practice.
"Aunt Megumi and the others was still asleep." Kaoru said in between swings. "And besides I think I need some exercise. It's been a long time since I last practiced."
"Yeah." Yahiko said, suddenly attacking Kaoru with his bokken. She quickly blocked it with her own bokken.
"What was that for?!?"
"Hehe... I just want to know if you still can hold you weapon against me." Yahiko smirked as he jumped away from Kaoru.
"Was that a challenge?" she raised an eyebrow and smirked back at him, positioning herself in a defensive stance.
"Take it like that." Yahiko said as he lunge an attack to his friend. Kaoru only stepped a little to the left to avoid his bokken. "I won't go easy on you, busu."
"Mou! Who says I want you to go easy on me!!! You're just afraid that I will beat you up again just like before, ne Yahiko-CHAN?" Kaoru smiled seeing Yahiko beginning to fume. He really hate it when she called him chan.
"Grrr... Shut up old hag!!!" Yahiko glared at Kaoru who glared back at him after hearing her 'favorite' nick name from him.
"Mou!!! I'll get you for that, little brat!!!!" she said as she lunged forward, only to stop mid-way, catching Yahiko off guard as she hit him on his side. "Hehe... Looks like I can still beat you as before, ne Yahiko-chan?"
"Grrr... You just caught me off guard. I'm really not gonna get easy on you." he said, rubbing his back, standing up in a defensive stance.
"Fine." Kaoru smirked as she lunged again, this time Yahiko blocked her attacks. "Looking good." she said in between her attacks. "You can block my attacks."
"Heh... As if!! You're always a slow poke, busu. Even a cry baby can blocked your attacks."
"NANI?!?" Kaoru glared at him, as they both backed away from each other. "How dare you call me a slow poke?!? Small kid!!!"
"You are!!! And I'm not a small kid!!!!" Yahiko growled. "We're just the same age!!!!"
"But I'm taller than you!" Kaoru smirked when she saw Yahiko throw a deadly glare at her. 'And it's been a long time since I've last seen him fume like that.' she added to herself.
"This is it!!! Don't wail like a child if I hit you hard enough." Yahiko grumbled angrily as he jumped high, grabbing his bokken over his head.
"Oh yeah." Kaoru smirked as she positioned her bokken horizontally, with both hands, jumping to meet Yahiko's weapon. They both landed on the floor, panting.
'Great she's already tired. I can catch her now.' Yahiko smirked mentally. He quickly jumped towards Kaoru while she was still catching her breath, trying to catch her off guard. But the old shinodohai was still quick, dodging his attack and hitting him on back. "OucH!!!" he cried in pain as he landed on the floor, with a loud thug.
"See, I can still beat you Yahiko-chan. Who says I was a slow poke!" Kaoru smirked as she watched Yahiko sit on the floor, rubbing him back again. "I always beat you."
"Heh... As if! Not because you beat me today... you're still an old busu anyway." Yahiko said aloud making Kaoru fume.
"Mou! HoW Dare you call me names!!!! Watch you big mouth little Yahiko-boy!!!!"
"Grrr... How dare you call me little boy?!?"
"What do you call yourself then?!? A man?!? C'mon don't make me laugh, brat!!!"
"And you want me to call you a girl?!? You're just an old hag stuck in a girl's body!!!"
"WHY YOU-?!?"
And that was it. Kaoru and Yahiko fought in a huge puff of smoke, both calling each other names, those things that they both missed. The name-callings, the everyday practice, their usual bickerings... Things that they haven't done since Kaoru started working for her step mother.
"You dare call me a busu!!!!"
"You dare call me a little brat!!!!"
"KAORU!!!! What in the hell are you doing playing with that boy!!!" Megumi appeared in the dojo, looking really pissed off. Making Kaoru and Yahiko stop fighting.
"G-gomen..." Kaoru started to say but Megumi stopped her.
"Have you prepared our breakfast?!?" Megumi snarled angrily at her.
"Hai. I have cooked breakfast after practicing." Kaoru nodded. "Don't worry I will start doing the laundry now." she said before placing her bokken and Yahiko's back to it's place.
"Make it quick! You still have to go to the market to buy Tomoe some needles and thread. She's going to do some cross-stitching today." Megumi said before walking back to the mansion.
"Eh? Back again to work?" Yahiko sighed. "Still got to feed the horses anyway."
"Yeah." Kaoru sighed too. "Maybe we could practice again. First thing in the morning ne?"
"Yeah." Yahiko nodded. "And next time I won't go easy on you again, ugly busu!!!" he added before running for his life.
"MOU!!!" Kaoru only sughed in exasperation, stucking her tongue out on him. "Beh!!!!!"
***
"Mou!" Kaoru sighed. "I still can't get why Tomoe-san needs this so many threads and why Kamatari-san wants some sweets again. I only bought that huge box of sweets yesterday. Don't tell me she have eaten it all yet." she giggled at the thought.
"I can't really think of how she could do it." she smiled more to herself as she walked around the town towards Tae's dress shop. "In just a day... but come to think of it, doing this gives me an excuse to visit some of my friends in town." she smiled again widely to some people who passed by her.
"Ohayo!" Kaoru greeted happily as she entered her friend's shop. "How's business doing, Tae-san?"
"Oh, it's you again, Kao-chan." Tae smiled happily at the younger lady. "Have a seat."
"No." Kaoru shook her head. "I just went it to buy some threads and needles. Tomoe-san is cross-stsching."
"Oh, a moment. Can you give me the list?" Tae said and Kaoru handed her a piece of paper. "So are they treating you well?" she asked as she search for some colors of DMCs.
"Uhm... well, just the usual." Kaoru smiled.
"That's what I'm afraid of really." Tae looked up to Kaoru and sighed. "They let you go to the ball last night?"
"Well something like that." Kaoru smiled.
"Eh? What do you mean something like that?" Tae frowned.
"Well they only let me go with them, but they didn't let me go inside the palace." Kaoru said. "But I do have the chance to peek through the window. I have watched the people dance through the window." she blushed.
"Did you see him?"
"No." Kaoru shook her head, and touch her face feeling her face blush more.
"What's with all that blushing?" Tae smiled. "Did you meet someone?"
"Eh? Yeah." Kaoru replied shyly. "I saw that man who saved me from those bad guys the other night."
"Oh I see." Tae smiled knowingly. "What happened?" she asked.
"Well, it's really weird." Kaoru giggled. "But he asked me for a dance. We danced out there, down by the moonlight."
"Oh how romantic!" Tae said dreamily.
"C'mon Tae-san he's just a new friend." Kaoru said blushing even more.
"I never said anything." Tae said, smiling again. "You sound so defensive, Kao-chan."
"I am?" Kaoru asked shyly.
"Yeah, whatever." Tae said, giving Kaoru the things she needed.
"Thanks Tae-san." Kaoru smiled as she carried the bag with her. "So i guess I'll see you later."
"Yeah." Tae said with a twinkle of her eyes. "Be careful on your way. Come back again."
"Hai, hai." Kaoru nodded, smiling brightly at her friend.
***
"Where can I find her?" Kenshin asked to no one as he walked around the town, hands on the sleeves of his gi. "I should've just go to her house. Maybe she's there."
'But that was sooo embarassing! What would I tell her if I went to her house?' he thought. 'At least I can accidentally bump her when I see her in here. Then I could walk her home again, some things like that. But the thing is... I can't find her.'
He sighed again. 'Why am I feeling like this? I just met her a couple of days ago. Why am I looking forward in seeing her again? Come to think of it, I'm using her ribbon just to see her again. What happens next if I give it back to her? I will lost my reason on seeing her again.' he sighed again. He was deep in his thoughts that he never noticed the young he have bumped.
"ORO?!?"
"Oh no." the girl whom he bumped, was now on the ground picking up some colorful thread and things used for sewing on the ground.
"G-Gomen-nasai..." Kenshin said, helping the girl pick up the things on the ground. "I'm really sorry, I'm not watching my way. I have something in my mind that I never notice you."
"Eh? You again?"
Kenshin looked up only to drown in those deep blue orbs staring back at him. He can't believe it! She is really in front of him.
"K-Kaoru-dono?"
"Yeah." Kaoru smiled as she picked the last item on the ground putting it inside the bag. "Thanks." she smiled at Kenshin who puts the things he have got to her bag. "What are you doing here?"
"Oro? A-anou..." Kenshin stammered.
"Hmmm?"
"ORO???" Kenshin tried to say something but he just can't. 'Baka say something!'
"It's alright, if you don't want to tell me." Kaoru said. "I'm going to buy some sweets in Kionji-san's bake shop. Wanna join me?"
"H-hai." Kenshin nodded as he walked beside her. "A-ano... Kaoru-dono, i was really... oro???"
"Eh? You what?"
"Oro??? Eh??? A-anou... I was really... uhm..." Kenshin gulped. "What a wonderful sight!" he said aloud pointing to the first thing he saw.
"Eh?" Kaoru stared, bit puzzled, at the thing Kenshin is pointing, it was a man selling some colorful balloons nearby.
'Baka! What so wonderful about that???' Kenshin silently kicked himself for saying something foolish.
"Kenshin? Daijobou?"
"Oro??? Hai! Hai! Daijobou!" Kenshin smiled sheepishly, scratching his head.
"If you say so..." Kaoru said. "Here we go." she said as she entered a bake shop, Kenshin followed her.
"Ohayo!" Kaoru gladly greeted.
"Ohayo! Oh! Kaoru-chan!" Kionji smiled happily at the young lady. "It's good to see you again." his eyes fell on the man beside Kaoru. "Oh, it's you again."
"Ohayo, Kionji-dono." Kenshin smiled at the old man. "You still remembered me."
"Of course." Kionji smiled. "I never thought you knew Kao-chan. Want some cake?" he again asked, offering some sweet cake and tea to Kenshin and Kaoru.
"Oh, don't..." Kaoru was about to refuse but Kionji push a plate of cake to her. "Arigato." she smiled shyly.
"Eh? I just met her a couple of days and I kinda bumped into her this morning." Kenshin said, again scratching the back of his head.
"Oh I see. Of course I still remember you. Especially that scar on your face. And the red hair too." Kionji said. "The exact description of the prince! Red hair and huge scar on his left cheek! One may think that you are the prince disguising himself as some sort of farm boy, or something like that."
Kenshin nearly choked at Kionji's comment. "Ororororo????!???!"
"Eh? Daijobou, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked worriedly as she pat his back.
"Hai, hai..." Kenshin smiled nervously. "Don't worry."
"That scar is actually my fault." Kaoru said. "I mean, he got it when he saved me from the bad guys."
"Oh you do?" Kionji said to Kenshin. "It's good thing. How come you're walking alone in the dark! it's very dangerous Kao-chan. Good thing Kenshin-san found you." he turned, stern faced to Kaoru who smiled sheepishly.
"But it's not your fault Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said. 'I already got this scar ages.'
"It's in the past, so let's just forget it, ne?" Kaoru smiled and Kenshin again could only drown.
"Here's the sweets Kao-chan." Kionji smiled, watching the couple staring at each other, snapping Kenshin and Kaoru back to reality.
"A-arigato... Kionji-san." Kaoru smiled. "So, I guess I'll see you next time. Thanks for the cakes."
"Anytime, Kao-chan." Kionji smiled. "You too, Kenshin-san. You visit here anytime ne?"
"Arigato Kionji-dono." Kenshin smiled at the kind man, before going out with Kaoru.
"I can carry those for you, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin offered.
"Oh, it's alright I can..." she never finished her sentence as Kenshin snatched the bag and box she is carrying. "Mou!"
"Hehe... what kind of a gentleman I am, if I let you carry all of this stuffs?" Kenshin smiled at her.
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Kaoru-dono... uhm..." Kenshin again stammered.
"Eh? Nani?"
"You know... er... I was really... uhm... l-l-looking..." Kenshin gulped. "Iwasreallylookingforyou"
"Eh? Sumimasen?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow and Kenshin gulped again.
"Anou... I wan saying... I was realy... l-l-looking... uhm... f-for... you." Kenshin said finally.
"Eh? How come?" Kaoru said with a blush.
"Oro? I want to give you something." Kenshin said, taking something from his pocket. "This..."
"That's my ribbon!" Kaoru smiled at him. "you kept it?"
"This is yours." Kenshin gave the ribbon to Kaoru but she shook her head. "Oro??"
"You can keep it." Kaoru smiled.
"Oro???" Kenshin frowned, full of question marks.
"As a sign of our friendship." she smiled again. "So you can always remember that you have a friend named Kaoru."
"Oro?" Kenshin smiled as realization hit him. "Of course. I will take care of it." he smiled as he put it back on his pocket.
"I'm glad." Kaoru said. "Here we are now." she said as they reach the huge Kamiya mansion. "Thanks for walking me home again and for carrying my things."
"Anytime Kaoru-dono." Kenshin smiled. "So, can I see you again?"
"I told you Kenshin... of course." Kaoru nodded with a smile. "We're friends, ne?"
"Friends... Sounds good to me." Kenshin said.
tbc...
A/N: Another chappie done. What do you think? Like it? Not? Tell me! Leave your reviews. till next chappie!!! Ja!!!