Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story
by: nyllemnev
Disclaimer's Apply: They are not mine.
Chapter 7: The usual sight in the Kamiya household
"I have known Yahiko since... we were both children... though, I'm years older than him, three years to be exact." Kaoru said, seeing Kenshin, watching Yahiko left. "He is a former student of my father. He is actually some sort of my best friend. Though, he could be pretty annoying at times."
"You two must have known each other well, ne?" Kenshin turned to Kaoru, who is now placing a bowl of steaming vegetables in a tray., with some set of three plates...
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "He knows when I feel bad or not... and he knows if I'm saying the truth or I'm saying a lie."
Kenshin nodded at that information, watching as Kaoru carried the tray, giving him another smile before saying, "Can I leave you for a moment? I just need to prepare the table for them." she left when Kenshin nodded.
***
"KAORU! What took you so long?!? I'm starving!!!" Kamatari said, taking her place on the huge dining table on the dining hall of the mansion.
"Gomen-nasai." Kaoru said, bowing her head at them as Megumi and Tomoe occupied their places on the table.
"KAMATARI!" Megumi narrowed her eyes at her younger daughter. "Why can't you eat slower?"
"Gosh! Mother! I'm starving." Kamatari said. "Besides, I'm at home, so I can eat whatever ways I like to eat."
"How can the prince like a big fat piggy girl like you! You act... as if you haven't eaten for ten years!" Tomoe said proudly. "The prince would like a more respectable and well-refined young lady, who have manners."
"And you're saying that 'respectable and well-refined young lady' is you?" Kamatari raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Gosh, sis... I don't wanna throw everything that I just ate."
"And who do you think is the well-refined lady? You?!?" Tomoe glared at her sister who glared back.
"And the prince wouldn't want a mother, hello?!?"
"Mou! Are you saying that I looked like the prince' mother?!?"
"Wrong!" Kamatari smiled sweetly at her sister. "The queen looks younger than you!"
"MOU!!!!" Tomoe gave Kamatari another glare which her sister gladly replied with her own glare.
"You two stop it." Megumi said, in a voice full of authority. "The prince would want any of you two, my daughters. Besides, you're both beautiful and well-mannered... the prince would really like a lady who is like that." she smiled, throwing a sarcastic glance at Kaoru. "The prince wouldn't like a rubbish thing like some other girl I know."
This made Tomoe and Kamatari smile and throw Kaoru a stare, full of pride. Kaoru only looked down, avoiding their eyes.
***
Kenshin absentmindedly wandered around the room when Kaoru left. Staring at the huge wooden cabinets where Kaoru placed some cooking utensils, pans, saucers, plates, etc. He turned and stared at the door connecting to the dining hall, perhaps. He opened it, without thinking, staring at the wooden staircase, leading to another door. He slowly took some steps leading to that door and opened it, revealing a hallway and some doors on the other sides of it.
"YEAH! THE PRINCE WOULD NEVER LIKE A RUBBISH THING LIKE HER!" he heard some laughter after that sentence. Frowning, he walked towards the source of the sound and opened the door silently, peeking inside.
***
"MY GLASS IS EMPTY…" Tomoe said, tapping her glass with her spoon. …more juice."
"H-hai." Kaoru nodded and poured Tomoe's glass with another lemon juice.
"Me too." Kamatari imitated her sister. "Faster, will ya?" she added, and in a minute, Kaoru was already by her side, pouring some juice on her glass.
"Oh… I accidentally spilled it on the floor." Tomoe said, purposely spilling some juice on the floor. "Mou… it's all ruined now and it's all your fault."
"You better clean it up now before it messes the floor." Kamatari quickly added.
"Hai, hai." Kaoru grabbed a rag cloth and wiped the mess. "It's all done."
"No, no, no." Tomoe shook her head. "There's another one over there." she pointed to an imaginary spot on the floor and again, purposely spilling some liquid on the floor. "Clean it up."
"She's such a good pet, ne oneechan?" Kamatari said, watching Kaoru clean the mess with a wide smile on her face.
"A very very good pet." Tomoe smirked.
"Having some fun, ne?" Megumi smiled at her two daughters, as if congratulating them to a job well done. "Pretend that I'm not here." she added with a wink.
"It's all done." Kaoru looked up when she finished cleaning up the mess. She stood up and started collecting Tomoe, Kamatari and Megumi's empty plates. "Do you need some more things done?"
"Remember that handkerchief that I just bought?" Tomoe said. "Is it already done?"
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "I'll take it in your room after washing the dishes."
"And clean my room too." Kamatari added.
"Clean the whole place." Megumi said. "And tell that little kid that we're going in town later."
"Hai. I'll tell Yahiko." Kaoru nodded, wiping the table as the three left.
***
Kenshin quickly hid on a corner of when Megumi and her daughters left the dining hall. He quickly stepped out of his hiding place when Megumi and her daughters were already out of sight. He silently peek through the dining hall again, watching as Kaoru clean up the table. Absent-mindedly, he slowly entered the room, almost tip-toeing not to startle her.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru blinked at him as she turned and saw him, watching her from behind. "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to…? Oh… If Aunt Megumi sees you…"
"They did not." Kenshin said. "Why are they doing this to you?"
"How long have you been there?" Kaoru said, avoiding his eyes and started pulling a small cart the held some empty plates, glasses…
"Long enough to see everything." Kenshin said, following Kaoru as she started walking back at the kitchen. "Why are you letting them to do this to you?"
"They're letting me stay here." Kaoru said as she opened the door connecting the kitchen. "I'm just paying them for the food and shelter they're giving me."
"But… is she your father's second wife?" Kenshin frowned at her as she started placing the dirty plates on the sink. "I mean… it's her responsibility to take you in."
"And it's my obligation to help them." Kaoru said without looking at him.
"Obligation? Help?" Kenshin frowned more, coming to stand beside Kaoru, watching her from the corner of his eyes. "You have no obligation to them. THEY have the obligation to you. They're abusing you! Treating you like some sort of a toy."
"A toy?" Kaoru sighed before letting out a faked chuckle. "Maybe they does treat me as… something like that."
Kenshin just stared at her, waiting for her to continue.
"That's what others says. Even Yahiko told me that." Kaoru shrugged, picking up a wooden bucket and went outside to fill it up with water before going back. "Others even said that I should just leave them alone here. Some even offered me a home."
"Then… why don't you leave?" Kenshin arched an eyebrow, watching Kaoru as she started washing the dishes.
"You can call me an idiot and stubborn but… I don't want to." Kaoru gave a smile at Kenshin before continuing her tracks. "I can't…"
"Why?"
"I grew up in this place. This is where I was born." Kaoru said with a sigh. "My father thought me Kendo here. My mother taught me how to cook in this place… my mother died in this place… this place is my home…"
Kenshin grew quiet as he let her continue.
"… this place held so many memories, both good and bad, from my childhood, the first time I wore a dress, everything… I can't just leave this place… I have loved this place and no matter what it takes… I will never leave this place I called home…"
"I'm sorry." Kenshin looked down uneasily. "I didn't know."
"And besides… they need me." Kaoru said, placing the washed dishes on the table, wiping her soaked hands on her apron before looking up at Kenshin. "I can't imagine what will happen to them if I leave."
"But they never cared about you, though. From the way I see it, they only want you here so they can have someone to… boost their little treasures to." Kenshin said, wanting to cut the necks of those three women for giving this girl a hard time.
"My mother always told me… helping others doesn't only means… expecting a good… let's say… a good gift… sometimes the reverse happened. But always remember that it is always He who would grant you for your good deeds." she said with a smile. "It may be some childish thins my mother taught me but… even if how childish it sounds… you can't hide the truth behind those words."
Kenshin could only stare at this young, beautiful and… exceptional lady. 'Kami-sama… how can she take this whole thing as if… it's nothing?' he thought, not tearing his eyes off her.
'I've always met several women… young and beautiful young maidens… but… I've never met a girl like her.' he thought, watching her dry the plates with a clean cloth. 'I've never met a girl as strong as this girl… she is… she is… I don't know… I don't know the right word to describe her…'
'Am I falling for this unbelievable girl in front of me?' he mused, his eyes softening on her. 'Is she the right girl I've always been waiting for? Is she that right girl for me?'
As if hearing his musings, Kaoru looked up to catch his eyes. Giving him one of her bright smiles he have grown attached to, before going back to her tracks.
'Kami-sama… I'm falling for her… I think I'm falling for her…'
TBC…
A/N: Thank you for those who reviewed in the last chapter! Hearing your positive feedback makes me more… energetic in writing another chapter. That's why I'm really trying to find a way to fix my schedule and to write some more chapters! Domo arigato minna-san! Till next chapters. Hope to hear more form you guys. See you!
by: nyllemnev
Disclaimer's Apply: They are not mine.
Chapter 7: The usual sight in the Kamiya household
"I have known Yahiko since... we were both children... though, I'm years older than him, three years to be exact." Kaoru said, seeing Kenshin, watching Yahiko left. "He is a former student of my father. He is actually some sort of my best friend. Though, he could be pretty annoying at times."
"You two must have known each other well, ne?" Kenshin turned to Kaoru, who is now placing a bowl of steaming vegetables in a tray., with some set of three plates...
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "He knows when I feel bad or not... and he knows if I'm saying the truth or I'm saying a lie."
Kenshin nodded at that information, watching as Kaoru carried the tray, giving him another smile before saying, "Can I leave you for a moment? I just need to prepare the table for them." she left when Kenshin nodded.
***
"KAORU! What took you so long?!? I'm starving!!!" Kamatari said, taking her place on the huge dining table on the dining hall of the mansion.
"Gomen-nasai." Kaoru said, bowing her head at them as Megumi and Tomoe occupied their places on the table.
"KAMATARI!" Megumi narrowed her eyes at her younger daughter. "Why can't you eat slower?"
"Gosh! Mother! I'm starving." Kamatari said. "Besides, I'm at home, so I can eat whatever ways I like to eat."
"How can the prince like a big fat piggy girl like you! You act... as if you haven't eaten for ten years!" Tomoe said proudly. "The prince would like a more respectable and well-refined young lady, who have manners."
"And you're saying that 'respectable and well-refined young lady' is you?" Kamatari raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Gosh, sis... I don't wanna throw everything that I just ate."
"And who do you think is the well-refined lady? You?!?" Tomoe glared at her sister who glared back.
"And the prince wouldn't want a mother, hello?!?"
"Mou! Are you saying that I looked like the prince' mother?!?"
"Wrong!" Kamatari smiled sweetly at her sister. "The queen looks younger than you!"
"MOU!!!!" Tomoe gave Kamatari another glare which her sister gladly replied with her own glare.
"You two stop it." Megumi said, in a voice full of authority. "The prince would want any of you two, my daughters. Besides, you're both beautiful and well-mannered... the prince would really like a lady who is like that." she smiled, throwing a sarcastic glance at Kaoru. "The prince wouldn't like a rubbish thing like some other girl I know."
This made Tomoe and Kamatari smile and throw Kaoru a stare, full of pride. Kaoru only looked down, avoiding their eyes.
***
Kenshin absentmindedly wandered around the room when Kaoru left. Staring at the huge wooden cabinets where Kaoru placed some cooking utensils, pans, saucers, plates, etc. He turned and stared at the door connecting to the dining hall, perhaps. He opened it, without thinking, staring at the wooden staircase, leading to another door. He slowly took some steps leading to that door and opened it, revealing a hallway and some doors on the other sides of it.
"YEAH! THE PRINCE WOULD NEVER LIKE A RUBBISH THING LIKE HER!" he heard some laughter after that sentence. Frowning, he walked towards the source of the sound and opened the door silently, peeking inside.
***
"MY GLASS IS EMPTY…" Tomoe said, tapping her glass with her spoon. …more juice."
"H-hai." Kaoru nodded and poured Tomoe's glass with another lemon juice.
"Me too." Kamatari imitated her sister. "Faster, will ya?" she added, and in a minute, Kaoru was already by her side, pouring some juice on her glass.
"Oh… I accidentally spilled it on the floor." Tomoe said, purposely spilling some juice on the floor. "Mou… it's all ruined now and it's all your fault."
"You better clean it up now before it messes the floor." Kamatari quickly added.
"Hai, hai." Kaoru grabbed a rag cloth and wiped the mess. "It's all done."
"No, no, no." Tomoe shook her head. "There's another one over there." she pointed to an imaginary spot on the floor and again, purposely spilling some liquid on the floor. "Clean it up."
"She's such a good pet, ne oneechan?" Kamatari said, watching Kaoru clean the mess with a wide smile on her face.
"A very very good pet." Tomoe smirked.
"Having some fun, ne?" Megumi smiled at her two daughters, as if congratulating them to a job well done. "Pretend that I'm not here." she added with a wink.
"It's all done." Kaoru looked up when she finished cleaning up the mess. She stood up and started collecting Tomoe, Kamatari and Megumi's empty plates. "Do you need some more things done?"
"Remember that handkerchief that I just bought?" Tomoe said. "Is it already done?"
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "I'll take it in your room after washing the dishes."
"And clean my room too." Kamatari added.
"Clean the whole place." Megumi said. "And tell that little kid that we're going in town later."
"Hai. I'll tell Yahiko." Kaoru nodded, wiping the table as the three left.
***
Kenshin quickly hid on a corner of when Megumi and her daughters left the dining hall. He quickly stepped out of his hiding place when Megumi and her daughters were already out of sight. He silently peek through the dining hall again, watching as Kaoru clean up the table. Absent-mindedly, he slowly entered the room, almost tip-toeing not to startle her.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru blinked at him as she turned and saw him, watching her from behind. "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to…? Oh… If Aunt Megumi sees you…"
"They did not." Kenshin said. "Why are they doing this to you?"
"How long have you been there?" Kaoru said, avoiding his eyes and started pulling a small cart the held some empty plates, glasses…
"Long enough to see everything." Kenshin said, following Kaoru as she started walking back at the kitchen. "Why are you letting them to do this to you?"
"They're letting me stay here." Kaoru said as she opened the door connecting the kitchen. "I'm just paying them for the food and shelter they're giving me."
"But… is she your father's second wife?" Kenshin frowned at her as she started placing the dirty plates on the sink. "I mean… it's her responsibility to take you in."
"And it's my obligation to help them." Kaoru said without looking at him.
"Obligation? Help?" Kenshin frowned more, coming to stand beside Kaoru, watching her from the corner of his eyes. "You have no obligation to them. THEY have the obligation to you. They're abusing you! Treating you like some sort of a toy."
"A toy?" Kaoru sighed before letting out a faked chuckle. "Maybe they does treat me as… something like that."
Kenshin just stared at her, waiting for her to continue.
"That's what others says. Even Yahiko told me that." Kaoru shrugged, picking up a wooden bucket and went outside to fill it up with water before going back. "Others even said that I should just leave them alone here. Some even offered me a home."
"Then… why don't you leave?" Kenshin arched an eyebrow, watching Kaoru as she started washing the dishes.
"You can call me an idiot and stubborn but… I don't want to." Kaoru gave a smile at Kenshin before continuing her tracks. "I can't…"
"Why?"
"I grew up in this place. This is where I was born." Kaoru said with a sigh. "My father thought me Kendo here. My mother taught me how to cook in this place… my mother died in this place… this place is my home…"
Kenshin grew quiet as he let her continue.
"… this place held so many memories, both good and bad, from my childhood, the first time I wore a dress, everything… I can't just leave this place… I have loved this place and no matter what it takes… I will never leave this place I called home…"
"I'm sorry." Kenshin looked down uneasily. "I didn't know."
"And besides… they need me." Kaoru said, placing the washed dishes on the table, wiping her soaked hands on her apron before looking up at Kenshin. "I can't imagine what will happen to them if I leave."
"But they never cared about you, though. From the way I see it, they only want you here so they can have someone to… boost their little treasures to." Kenshin said, wanting to cut the necks of those three women for giving this girl a hard time.
"My mother always told me… helping others doesn't only means… expecting a good… let's say… a good gift… sometimes the reverse happened. But always remember that it is always He who would grant you for your good deeds." she said with a smile. "It may be some childish thins my mother taught me but… even if how childish it sounds… you can't hide the truth behind those words."
Kenshin could only stare at this young, beautiful and… exceptional lady. 'Kami-sama… how can she take this whole thing as if… it's nothing?' he thought, not tearing his eyes off her.
'I've always met several women… young and beautiful young maidens… but… I've never met a girl like her.' he thought, watching her dry the plates with a clean cloth. 'I've never met a girl as strong as this girl… she is… she is… I don't know… I don't know the right word to describe her…'
'Am I falling for this unbelievable girl in front of me?' he mused, his eyes softening on her. 'Is she the right girl I've always been waiting for? Is she that right girl for me?'
As if hearing his musings, Kaoru looked up to catch his eyes. Giving him one of her bright smiles he have grown attached to, before going back to her tracks.
'Kami-sama… I'm falling for her… I think I'm falling for her…'
TBC…
A/N: Thank you for those who reviewed in the last chapter! Hearing your positive feedback makes me more… energetic in writing another chapter. That's why I'm really trying to find a way to fix my schedule and to write some more chapters! Domo arigato minna-san! Till next chapters. Hope to hear more form you guys. See you!