Summary: Kamiya Kaoru is the young owner of a flower shop. Every day of the
week, her customer, Himura Kenshin, comes to pick up fresh white roses, a
dozen of them, for his late wife. Kaoru can't help but fall in love with
this mysterious customer. But how can things ever be if Kenshin's still
grieving the death of his wife?
AN: Ugh, the onslaught of SATs and APs are weighing me down. I was thinking of alternating between kenshin and kaoru point of view. We'll see how that works out. There's one quote in here about not letting the past dictate who you are, that's from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Hmm, and Kaoru will find out Kenshin's not really married next chapter. ^^
--------------------------
Declaimer: I don't own Kenshin.
--------------------------
As I Bloom
Winds of Fortune
Chapter 3
"I don't care." I scowled at the phone in my hand as my brother ranted loudly into my ear.
You walked in the store, but I was too busy listening to notice. "Listen, Yahiko," I exploded quite suddenly, "I am NOT going to go buy you whatever the hell you want just 'cause you have a stupid craving. I'm working right now! You deal with it! You're not pregnant! You've only got cancer! Ungrateful idiot!" I added for good measure before slamming the phone down.
I jumped almost immediately, seeing your smiling face appear out of nowhere.
With your normal politeness you reprimanded, "Kamiya san, that is no way to treat your sick brother."
"Himura san," I complained lightly, "you won't believe what my ungrateful brat of a brother does. You've only heard the good side of him because I'm such a nice person! And look at all he puts me through."
Your eyes twinkled with amusement. "I would love to meet your brother one day."
"You will!" I exclaimed, "He's great! Except for the fact that he constantly calls me 'ugly.'" Pulling out the cash register, I continued mumbling to myself. The stupid jerk, if Yahiko called me one more time starting off the conversation with a "Hey, Ugly!" I'd smash his head in when I find the time.
"Then he is a fool to say that to one of the most beautiful people I know." You murmured.
I grinned upon hearing your words, for I could have said the same to you. Even though I knew you were just being polite, I couldn't help but feel giddy inside. "Thank you."
Someday, I thought, I'd bring this Himura Kenshin to meet my family. You seemed so alone at times, I'd wondered whatever became of your wife. Perhaps she is ungrateful and takes you for granted. Perhaps she doesn't love you as you love her. Perhaps she doesn't love you and appreciate you as I do.
My hands slipped on the change I was handing back and the silver pieces clattered to the floor. "I am so sorry," I stammered. I could not believe what my mind was conjuring. I must be mad I thought. I must be mad to love you if I could never have you. And certainly I didn't love you.
Laughing unsteadily, I closed up the store quickly. I wanted out of your presence. My mind told me things it should not have. "Kamiya san," your hands shot out to steady my own as I try desperately to shove my keys into the lock, "be careful. Is something wrong?"
Nothing except that I am suddenly and hopelessly falling in love with you.
"Nothing!" I smiled quickly as I tried to meet your purple eyes. I settled for staring at the peculiar scar on your cheek. I remembered the time when I first asked you about it. Staring at the X shaped scar, I took a deep breath. "Nothing is wrong."
Nothing is wrong because at the least, you care about me.
--------------------
They were on your left cheek, a large screaming imperfection on your otherwise perfect face. They lay beneath your high cheekbones, under your darkened eyes that lay shadowed by your lined eyebrow. Like trophies or rewards, they stood so blatantly upon the paleness of your skin.
I wanted to trace them with a finger, to feel their roughness beneath my skin. I wanted to understand something I couldn't. Who are you? Why do you come? Where do you go?
Who are you? Himura Kenshin.
Your eyes stare inquiringly into mine, a hint of embarrassment in them as you realize I had been looking at your scar. I avert my gaze, not meaning to stare, not meaning to humiliate. "Himura san," I began.
Where did you get that scar?
But I was too ashamed to say that outright. "I – I have a brother." I said instead, bringing up the only thing that came into mind.
You look vaguely interested. "Is that so?" You asked politely.
"Yes, his name is Yahiko. He's.. he's wonderful. I hope he grows up well. Sometimes I feel like his mother." I laughed lightly, trying to sound delicate.
Who did that to your face?
I couldn't bring myself to ask.
"But, then where is your mother?" You sounded concerned.
I smiled. You were such a caring man, so worried about others. "My parents both passed away. Yahiko, he was adopted. But to me, he is family. And family is all that matters." I couldn't believe how much I was sharing with you. Nobody knew that Yahiko was adopted. Not Misao or Aoshi, certainly not Hajime and Tokio, nor the rest of the "crew."
But you were such an easy man to talk to.
I could only hope that one day, you found me as easy to talk to as well.
"Himura san," I began again, determined to ask the question that had plagued my mind since I'd first met you. "Where did you get your scar?"
You were silent for a time, and I quickly began to apologize. I didn't mean to butt into your business. But you raised a light hand to silence me.
And finally, you answered me, a sad smile playing across your lips.
"I got it from love."
---------------------
Your eyes were a beautiful deep violet. So calm and peaceful. My breath caught.
"Kamiya san?" You asked, concern laced in your tenor voice.
I loved your voice, your eyes, your hair, your hands. I couldn't make myself look away. Midway through finishing your bouquet, my hands froze in place and I could only gape at you helplessly. You were beautiful.
"Kamiya san," You said, the concern weaving its way to your eyes. You reached forward, bringing me out of my revere, and causing me to jerk back quickly. Your hand came to a stop, its fingers still outstretched towards me.
Kenshin.
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and opening them again, slowly. You curled your fingers back in, an edge of sadness in your eyes. I wanted to cry all of a sudden, because I loved you so much but you were already married. I brought a hand up and grabbed yours.
You stared at me, but I could not see. My eyes stared down at the white roses for your wife. The roses that were for your loved one. I wanted to cry.
"Call me Kaoru," I said.
I don't know if you understood everything that I realized at that time, but you nodded slowly and let me hold your hand.
"Call me Kenshin."
--------------------
"Kenshin," I began our daily rituals, delighting in the sound of your name, "how was your day?"
"Uneventful, but full of thoughts," you said. "I feel as though I am living in the past. I spoke with Enishi again today." You shook your head, "Every time we talk, I feel as though he were an angry lion, ready to rip off my head."
I blinked, processing the first real tidbit of information you'd ever given me. "But, he is your brother in law! Why does he hate you?"
Your hands brushed over the roses that lay between us. "Because he says that I have taken his sister from him." You smiled at me, "but that is not the point."
You were talking to me, as though you wanted to say something to me. I felt like everything I had wanted to say to you before fell away. You were the present, and that was all that mattered. I leaned closer to you, intent on soaking in every word you said.
"I never really told you about myself."
"No," I breathed, "you haven't."
"Well, one must start off somewhere. I was orphaned as a youth, so I never knew my family. My teacher adopted me, raising me as his own. Life was not always easy, and though I loved the man as I would my father, I ran away at age fourteen. I was young and naive and I regret that mistake I made in life."
You were silent again, calmly watching the white roses between us. I wanted you to go on. I yearned to hear more. This was what I had wanted all along, for us to be able to talk with one another.
"But that wasn't my only mistake. I ran away from the only place I could call home, and went off to make more mistakes."
It suddenly dawned on me how symbolic the roses were. That bouquet that lay between us, so pure and innocent, was the one thing that kept us apart. For a moment, the world fell away, and I could almost imagine your wife, standing between, holding each of us back from one another. And then reality came back, and I nodded for you to go on. Whatever mistakes you made, I wanted to learn about them.
"I married a wonderful woman, but I was such a fool." Your hand reached up to trace the crossed scars on your cheek, "I am such a fool, Kaoru. I have ruined my life."
I felt like reaching out to you, holding you in my arms and fighting off all the evil in the world for you. This was where your anguish came from. This was where the pools of sadness lay. You spoke so little of your life. And even now, I had only a vague outline of what happened. I wanted to cry for you.
"Because of your past?" I asked quietly, softly, coaxingly.
You're fiery red head nodded. Violet eyes sparked with amber searched my own sapphire ones.
"Don't let the past dictate who you are, let it be a part of who you will become."
In the silence, I could hear the pulse of my blood in my temples. I could hear your soft breathing. I could feel the eyes that bore into mine.
A soft touch, a hesitant hand.
And as much as I wanted to kiss you, I let my eyes fall on those white roses. Your warm palm rested against my cheek, and I leaned into it for a moment, before pulling away.
White stood for purity and innocence.
But white was mourning as well.
------------------------
"Kaoru!"
I winced, yanking the phone a good feet away from my bruised ear. "Will you keep your voice down??"
"What's weasel face want now?"
I shrugged at Yahiko who lay in the hospital bed, a teasing grin locked in place on his face.
"Tell Yahiko I can hear what he's saying," Misao's voice cackled through the phoneline.
"I can hear what you're saying too." He retorted, "You're too damn loud!"
I rolled my eyes. The kid was more and more like Sanosuke with each passing day.
"Okay!" I held up a hand, "Kids, lets not argue now." I turned to the telephone, "Misao, what do you want?"
"Kaoru, I need you to come to the movies with me."
"Eh?"
"Like.. around seven. Be there or be square!"
"Be where?"
"Y'kno what, I'll just pick you up. Be ready! And dress nice."
"Wait, Misao! You can't just tell me to go to the movies with you like that! What if I'm busy?"
"Are you?" She questioned.
Okay, so I'm not busy. So I don't have a boyfriend like she practically does. I groaned, "All right, I'll go. Seven, dress nice, be ready, got it!"
"I knew you'd do it!" I could practically hear her grin before she hung up on me.
Looking down at my watch, it blinked with a six o'clock. "Yahiko," I said to the boy propped up in the hospital bed, "I've gotta go now."
"What? To go hang with weasel girl? Am I not important enough? I'm the sick on here! Hey, Ugly! Don't go!"
I slapped a hand on my face in exasperation. They were all like kids.. like little squalling kids. "Call me 'Ugly' one more time and you'll be glad you're in the hospital. At least they can stop the pain faster."
I stuck my tongue out at the suddenly very quiet Yahiko. "See you tomorrow kid!"
This was life. Being with my friends, hanging out all the time, arguing twenty-four-seven.
This was life without you.
I sighed and moved on. Kenshin, if you're a fool, what does that make me?
:End Chapter 3:
AN: movies!! Wheee!! =P
Silent Tears of Agony / Kitsune KeNsHiN / MZ.AMbER EYES / gaby (hyatt / Mafaldyna / The evil witch / yuhi-thedoerofevildeeds / Yawarako / rain angst / are-en1 / GranolaBar - Erm, WOW! Thx for all the support. Erm, lets see, for ppl hating on me for the Tomoe comment, MWAHAHAHA. Haha, sorry, that's just me. I figured Kenshin really loves Tomoe, and thus he must see an essence to Kaoru that would remind him of her. =P Haha, okay, so no more! Tomoe dies.. cuz.. haha, I don't kno yet. But I'm sure I'll figure it out sometime and tell u guys. Oh, and because u guys happen to like my portrayal of Kenshin, I'll continue to write in his POV in the future. ^^ And I must AWW at ur comments on my writing. Cuz that makes me feel soooo sooo good. You have no idea! I love it! You guys are fantastic. Sorry this update was a lil slow. -_- I'm being overloaded on school stuff. Yes, Real Life, it sometimes grabs hold of u and won't let u escape into the computer.
Nigihayami Haruko – OMG! I love ur reviews! It's like reading some poetic thingy that analyzes my writing and makes me sound like I really do write well. Thank you! And you'll find out about Tomoe's death later on. =P Enishi has a tiny part in this, but not that much. I'm mainly focusing on Kaoru and Kenshin. ^^ thx for giving me all those really nice comments on my writing.
Wistful-Eyes / tintin-chan / gwkitty – thx for making me ur fav list (wistful), and ur awesome comment on my tomoe/Kaoru thing. *grin* I'm so glad that when I write in their pov's you guys can actually feel what they feel. Cuz that's what I'm going for. I'm so happy, did I mention I love it when ppl love my writing? Haha, keep reviewing and I'll somehow figure out what to write in this chapters. ^^
Himura Kamiya Kaoru – Haha, ur hilarious! A bakery and a flower shop? It's a good dream, and it could work. To tell u the truth, I wanted to own a flower shop too. Haha, I tried the two POVs in one chapter thing before and ppl told me it was too confusing. But I'll definitely try that once at for u sometime later. ^^
Falling – Kaoru will find out that Kenshin isn't really married next chapter. That's the movie thing. Except you guys don't kno that yet. =P Kenshin is a hard mindset, I guess its because ppl can't really relate to being a silent assassin who regrets what he's done in life. I mean, most of us don't kill tons of ppl as a living.. right?
Kenkaya – o.O thank you. Ur review reminded me of Nigihayami Haruko's What can I say, I love reviews like urs. I thought about the Kaoru bringing kenshin into her circle of friends thing, and then I figured its easier to do what I planned to do next chapter. You'll see. ^^ Enishi is going to be a small villain in this story. At first, I was going to have to play a big part in it, but then I wanted to focus on the developing relationship between Kaoru and Kenshin. I figured Enishi would be too distracting a character. But it seems ppl want him to play a bigger part in here, so I'll play around with that idea.
AN: Ugh, the onslaught of SATs and APs are weighing me down. I was thinking of alternating between kenshin and kaoru point of view. We'll see how that works out. There's one quote in here about not letting the past dictate who you are, that's from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Hmm, and Kaoru will find out Kenshin's not really married next chapter. ^^
--------------------------
Declaimer: I don't own Kenshin.
--------------------------
As I Bloom
Winds of Fortune
Chapter 3
"I don't care." I scowled at the phone in my hand as my brother ranted loudly into my ear.
You walked in the store, but I was too busy listening to notice. "Listen, Yahiko," I exploded quite suddenly, "I am NOT going to go buy you whatever the hell you want just 'cause you have a stupid craving. I'm working right now! You deal with it! You're not pregnant! You've only got cancer! Ungrateful idiot!" I added for good measure before slamming the phone down.
I jumped almost immediately, seeing your smiling face appear out of nowhere.
With your normal politeness you reprimanded, "Kamiya san, that is no way to treat your sick brother."
"Himura san," I complained lightly, "you won't believe what my ungrateful brat of a brother does. You've only heard the good side of him because I'm such a nice person! And look at all he puts me through."
Your eyes twinkled with amusement. "I would love to meet your brother one day."
"You will!" I exclaimed, "He's great! Except for the fact that he constantly calls me 'ugly.'" Pulling out the cash register, I continued mumbling to myself. The stupid jerk, if Yahiko called me one more time starting off the conversation with a "Hey, Ugly!" I'd smash his head in when I find the time.
"Then he is a fool to say that to one of the most beautiful people I know." You murmured.
I grinned upon hearing your words, for I could have said the same to you. Even though I knew you were just being polite, I couldn't help but feel giddy inside. "Thank you."
Someday, I thought, I'd bring this Himura Kenshin to meet my family. You seemed so alone at times, I'd wondered whatever became of your wife. Perhaps she is ungrateful and takes you for granted. Perhaps she doesn't love you as you love her. Perhaps she doesn't love you and appreciate you as I do.
My hands slipped on the change I was handing back and the silver pieces clattered to the floor. "I am so sorry," I stammered. I could not believe what my mind was conjuring. I must be mad I thought. I must be mad to love you if I could never have you. And certainly I didn't love you.
Laughing unsteadily, I closed up the store quickly. I wanted out of your presence. My mind told me things it should not have. "Kamiya san," your hands shot out to steady my own as I try desperately to shove my keys into the lock, "be careful. Is something wrong?"
Nothing except that I am suddenly and hopelessly falling in love with you.
"Nothing!" I smiled quickly as I tried to meet your purple eyes. I settled for staring at the peculiar scar on your cheek. I remembered the time when I first asked you about it. Staring at the X shaped scar, I took a deep breath. "Nothing is wrong."
Nothing is wrong because at the least, you care about me.
--------------------
They were on your left cheek, a large screaming imperfection on your otherwise perfect face. They lay beneath your high cheekbones, under your darkened eyes that lay shadowed by your lined eyebrow. Like trophies or rewards, they stood so blatantly upon the paleness of your skin.
I wanted to trace them with a finger, to feel their roughness beneath my skin. I wanted to understand something I couldn't. Who are you? Why do you come? Where do you go?
Who are you? Himura Kenshin.
Your eyes stare inquiringly into mine, a hint of embarrassment in them as you realize I had been looking at your scar. I avert my gaze, not meaning to stare, not meaning to humiliate. "Himura san," I began.
Where did you get that scar?
But I was too ashamed to say that outright. "I – I have a brother." I said instead, bringing up the only thing that came into mind.
You look vaguely interested. "Is that so?" You asked politely.
"Yes, his name is Yahiko. He's.. he's wonderful. I hope he grows up well. Sometimes I feel like his mother." I laughed lightly, trying to sound delicate.
Who did that to your face?
I couldn't bring myself to ask.
"But, then where is your mother?" You sounded concerned.
I smiled. You were such a caring man, so worried about others. "My parents both passed away. Yahiko, he was adopted. But to me, he is family. And family is all that matters." I couldn't believe how much I was sharing with you. Nobody knew that Yahiko was adopted. Not Misao or Aoshi, certainly not Hajime and Tokio, nor the rest of the "crew."
But you were such an easy man to talk to.
I could only hope that one day, you found me as easy to talk to as well.
"Himura san," I began again, determined to ask the question that had plagued my mind since I'd first met you. "Where did you get your scar?"
You were silent for a time, and I quickly began to apologize. I didn't mean to butt into your business. But you raised a light hand to silence me.
And finally, you answered me, a sad smile playing across your lips.
"I got it from love."
---------------------
Your eyes were a beautiful deep violet. So calm and peaceful. My breath caught.
"Kamiya san?" You asked, concern laced in your tenor voice.
I loved your voice, your eyes, your hair, your hands. I couldn't make myself look away. Midway through finishing your bouquet, my hands froze in place and I could only gape at you helplessly. You were beautiful.
"Kamiya san," You said, the concern weaving its way to your eyes. You reached forward, bringing me out of my revere, and causing me to jerk back quickly. Your hand came to a stop, its fingers still outstretched towards me.
Kenshin.
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and opening them again, slowly. You curled your fingers back in, an edge of sadness in your eyes. I wanted to cry all of a sudden, because I loved you so much but you were already married. I brought a hand up and grabbed yours.
You stared at me, but I could not see. My eyes stared down at the white roses for your wife. The roses that were for your loved one. I wanted to cry.
"Call me Kaoru," I said.
I don't know if you understood everything that I realized at that time, but you nodded slowly and let me hold your hand.
"Call me Kenshin."
--------------------
"Kenshin," I began our daily rituals, delighting in the sound of your name, "how was your day?"
"Uneventful, but full of thoughts," you said. "I feel as though I am living in the past. I spoke with Enishi again today." You shook your head, "Every time we talk, I feel as though he were an angry lion, ready to rip off my head."
I blinked, processing the first real tidbit of information you'd ever given me. "But, he is your brother in law! Why does he hate you?"
Your hands brushed over the roses that lay between us. "Because he says that I have taken his sister from him." You smiled at me, "but that is not the point."
You were talking to me, as though you wanted to say something to me. I felt like everything I had wanted to say to you before fell away. You were the present, and that was all that mattered. I leaned closer to you, intent on soaking in every word you said.
"I never really told you about myself."
"No," I breathed, "you haven't."
"Well, one must start off somewhere. I was orphaned as a youth, so I never knew my family. My teacher adopted me, raising me as his own. Life was not always easy, and though I loved the man as I would my father, I ran away at age fourteen. I was young and naive and I regret that mistake I made in life."
You were silent again, calmly watching the white roses between us. I wanted you to go on. I yearned to hear more. This was what I had wanted all along, for us to be able to talk with one another.
"But that wasn't my only mistake. I ran away from the only place I could call home, and went off to make more mistakes."
It suddenly dawned on me how symbolic the roses were. That bouquet that lay between us, so pure and innocent, was the one thing that kept us apart. For a moment, the world fell away, and I could almost imagine your wife, standing between, holding each of us back from one another. And then reality came back, and I nodded for you to go on. Whatever mistakes you made, I wanted to learn about them.
"I married a wonderful woman, but I was such a fool." Your hand reached up to trace the crossed scars on your cheek, "I am such a fool, Kaoru. I have ruined my life."
I felt like reaching out to you, holding you in my arms and fighting off all the evil in the world for you. This was where your anguish came from. This was where the pools of sadness lay. You spoke so little of your life. And even now, I had only a vague outline of what happened. I wanted to cry for you.
"Because of your past?" I asked quietly, softly, coaxingly.
You're fiery red head nodded. Violet eyes sparked with amber searched my own sapphire ones.
"Don't let the past dictate who you are, let it be a part of who you will become."
In the silence, I could hear the pulse of my blood in my temples. I could hear your soft breathing. I could feel the eyes that bore into mine.
A soft touch, a hesitant hand.
And as much as I wanted to kiss you, I let my eyes fall on those white roses. Your warm palm rested against my cheek, and I leaned into it for a moment, before pulling away.
White stood for purity and innocence.
But white was mourning as well.
------------------------
"Kaoru!"
I winced, yanking the phone a good feet away from my bruised ear. "Will you keep your voice down??"
"What's weasel face want now?"
I shrugged at Yahiko who lay in the hospital bed, a teasing grin locked in place on his face.
"Tell Yahiko I can hear what he's saying," Misao's voice cackled through the phoneline.
"I can hear what you're saying too." He retorted, "You're too damn loud!"
I rolled my eyes. The kid was more and more like Sanosuke with each passing day.
"Okay!" I held up a hand, "Kids, lets not argue now." I turned to the telephone, "Misao, what do you want?"
"Kaoru, I need you to come to the movies with me."
"Eh?"
"Like.. around seven. Be there or be square!"
"Be where?"
"Y'kno what, I'll just pick you up. Be ready! And dress nice."
"Wait, Misao! You can't just tell me to go to the movies with you like that! What if I'm busy?"
"Are you?" She questioned.
Okay, so I'm not busy. So I don't have a boyfriend like she practically does. I groaned, "All right, I'll go. Seven, dress nice, be ready, got it!"
"I knew you'd do it!" I could practically hear her grin before she hung up on me.
Looking down at my watch, it blinked with a six o'clock. "Yahiko," I said to the boy propped up in the hospital bed, "I've gotta go now."
"What? To go hang with weasel girl? Am I not important enough? I'm the sick on here! Hey, Ugly! Don't go!"
I slapped a hand on my face in exasperation. They were all like kids.. like little squalling kids. "Call me 'Ugly' one more time and you'll be glad you're in the hospital. At least they can stop the pain faster."
I stuck my tongue out at the suddenly very quiet Yahiko. "See you tomorrow kid!"
This was life. Being with my friends, hanging out all the time, arguing twenty-four-seven.
This was life without you.
I sighed and moved on. Kenshin, if you're a fool, what does that make me?
:End Chapter 3:
AN: movies!! Wheee!! =P
Silent Tears of Agony / Kitsune KeNsHiN / MZ.AMbER EYES / gaby (hyatt / Mafaldyna / The evil witch / yuhi-thedoerofevildeeds / Yawarako / rain angst / are-en1 / GranolaBar - Erm, WOW! Thx for all the support. Erm, lets see, for ppl hating on me for the Tomoe comment, MWAHAHAHA. Haha, sorry, that's just me. I figured Kenshin really loves Tomoe, and thus he must see an essence to Kaoru that would remind him of her. =P Haha, okay, so no more! Tomoe dies.. cuz.. haha, I don't kno yet. But I'm sure I'll figure it out sometime and tell u guys. Oh, and because u guys happen to like my portrayal of Kenshin, I'll continue to write in his POV in the future. ^^ And I must AWW at ur comments on my writing. Cuz that makes me feel soooo sooo good. You have no idea! I love it! You guys are fantastic. Sorry this update was a lil slow. -_- I'm being overloaded on school stuff. Yes, Real Life, it sometimes grabs hold of u and won't let u escape into the computer.
Nigihayami Haruko – OMG! I love ur reviews! It's like reading some poetic thingy that analyzes my writing and makes me sound like I really do write well. Thank you! And you'll find out about Tomoe's death later on. =P Enishi has a tiny part in this, but not that much. I'm mainly focusing on Kaoru and Kenshin. ^^ thx for giving me all those really nice comments on my writing.
Wistful-Eyes / tintin-chan / gwkitty – thx for making me ur fav list (wistful), and ur awesome comment on my tomoe/Kaoru thing. *grin* I'm so glad that when I write in their pov's you guys can actually feel what they feel. Cuz that's what I'm going for. I'm so happy, did I mention I love it when ppl love my writing? Haha, keep reviewing and I'll somehow figure out what to write in this chapters. ^^
Himura Kamiya Kaoru – Haha, ur hilarious! A bakery and a flower shop? It's a good dream, and it could work. To tell u the truth, I wanted to own a flower shop too. Haha, I tried the two POVs in one chapter thing before and ppl told me it was too confusing. But I'll definitely try that once at for u sometime later. ^^
Falling – Kaoru will find out that Kenshin isn't really married next chapter. That's the movie thing. Except you guys don't kno that yet. =P Kenshin is a hard mindset, I guess its because ppl can't really relate to being a silent assassin who regrets what he's done in life. I mean, most of us don't kill tons of ppl as a living.. right?
Kenkaya – o.O thank you. Ur review reminded me of Nigihayami Haruko's What can I say, I love reviews like urs. I thought about the Kaoru bringing kenshin into her circle of friends thing, and then I figured its easier to do what I planned to do next chapter. You'll see. ^^ Enishi is going to be a small villain in this story. At first, I was going to have to play a big part in it, but then I wanted to focus on the developing relationship between Kaoru and Kenshin. I figured Enishi would be too distracting a character. But it seems ppl want him to play a bigger part in here, so I'll play around with that idea.