DEVOTION
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A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews. I'm actually really having fun writing this story.
CHAPTER TWO: Mendacity
MEMORY
"Kaoru what's wrong with you?" Kenshin asked. They were in the hospital just outside her father's room. "Why are you acting like this? Did I do something wrong? Why do you keep ignoring me?"
She turned her back on him and said, "Nothing's wrong with me, you know what I'm actually great. You know you can go now, I can take care of myself."
"I don't want to leave; I want to stay with you. You know I'll always be with you."
"But I don't need you," she said vehemently, she tried her best to sound angry while try to hide her sadness. "You're just like all of them, thinking I can't take care of myself. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"I know you can take care of yourself that's one of the reasons why I love you."
"You don't know what you're talking about. You don't love me, and anyways we're still young." She started walking away.
Kenshin caught up with her.
"Why do you keep on following me? I told you to leave me alone! Why don't you just go abroad and study just like what you're father said!"
"I'll never leave you, even for that damn university. I won't sacrifice what we have, our relationship."
"What relationship are you talking about?" Kaoru asked, even though she knew what he was talking about. They've been almost together for the past few months, even though they haven't really declared it, they knew deep down that they have a relationship. "There was never an 'us' Kenshin. You're out of your mind."
"Don't say that Kaoru," there was a hint of desperation and sadness in Kenshin's voice.
Kaoru almost turned around and ran up to him, thinking she couldn't do this that she has to be with him. But she didn't want to be the one holding him back from doing great things.
'Kenshin if you knew how much I love you. I don't want you to someday turn to me and tell me that I prevented you from achieving your dreams. I know you'll do great things.'
"I don't love you."
"Yes, you do love me. You've just never said it that's all."
"I don't love you, I never did. I don't know where you got the idea that I love you," she started to walk away towards the hospital chapel. She didn't hear his footsteps behind her, she didn't want to look at him; it would only devastate her. And so she walked away from the one she love. Once she got in the chapel, she broke down. She cried all her pain, her sadness, she complained of how unfair life was to her, how she had lost not one but two of the people she love dearly.
Kenshin stood, transfixed, he has never cried since his father told him that it was not manly to cry; now he let his tears fall, but no sound came from him.
The next day Kaoru received a letter. She recognized the paper and the handwriting immediately. Kenshin.
Kaoru,
Meet me at the swings at 4. I'll be waiting for you. If you don't come then I'll have my answer.
She threw the paper away.
Kenshin has been waiting for Kaoru since 2; he was holding a bouquet of roses and a box. He opened the box, and smiled, inside the box was necklace that had a key. The key symbolized the key to his heart. If Kaoru didn't come he would leave everything behind and study abroad.
At quarter to 4 Kaoru glanced at the clock. She was debating whether she should go. She's going.
Kenshin waited, he even gave way to the idea that Kaoru might be stuck in traffic, so he waited a little longer.
Kaoru watched as Kenshin sat on their favorite bench. She watched behind a wall. She saw as Kenshin glanced at his watch, worry etched at his face. Then finally after a long wait, Kenshin stood up and left the roses and the box on the bench, and started to walk away, he never looked back.
After making sure he had already left, Kaoru walked towards the bench with a heavy heart. She held the roses, and placed it on her lap; next she opened the box, and took out the necklace. She started crying once she saw the necklace. It was the one Kenshin always wore to school. Once he declared that who ever wears the necklace would be his girl. After that many girls would come to school wearing a necklace that had a key to it, but it was never the same design as Kenshin's. His was unique, just as he is. Now he's given it to her, but there would be no point to it; he was gone.
Kaoru woke up in the middle of the night, with sweat dripping all over her face.
'Argh! I hate this place, it's like I'm getting cooked,' Kaoru thought.
This is one of the many sacrifices she had to make. She had to sell the flower shop to pay for the hospital debts, and then she had to sell the small house her father and her use to live in to be able to pay for the first semester of college. Then she had to move to a small apartment. She wasn't able to finish college, for she ran out of money; but that was enough to get her a secretarial job. For the past two years, Kaoru had many odd jobs just to be able to support herself. Her father didn't leave her anything because he used most of the money on the flower shop. The flower shop was weak, but they both loved it.
'What was I dreaming about?'
She went up and got a drink of water, and then she went back to bed; but before that she made sure that she was well prepared for tomorrow. She smiled, thinking how things were changing. She now has a job, her money in the bank was almost enough to buy back the flower shop, and Kenshin was back. Kaoru feels reassured that part of why he came back was because she wrote him a letter telling him about why she acted that way, and telling him that since he was abroad why not go to the university his father kept insisting him to go to. Kaoru had the feeling they were going to be seeing each other soon. She wasn't sure if she would be prepared or not, but she knows that she was going to smile.
Kenshin was having a hard trouble sleeping. He was thinking about work tomorrow, he was going to be officially announced as CEO of the company. He is confident that he will be able to accomplish all the work given to him.
Two years ago, he wouldn't even go to the topic of work, all he did was have fun. Work took out the fun of things. Work took his mind of things. That was good.
He touched his neck. Until now he still wasn't used to not having his necklace.
'I wonder who took the necklace'
He remembered that he left it on the bench, after loosing hope that Kaoru was coming. He will never forget that moment, because at that moment he felt the cruelty of life, how unfair it was to him. Before that moment he would just 'go with the flow', he wasn't troubled at how his father seem to hate him, or how his mother was an alcoholic, or how his parents hated each other. But that moment broke him, he felt all the pain he has kept away on his shoulder. He was a fool for setting his hopes up so high, he really thought Kaoru would come; that she was only acting like that because of what happened to her father. He was crushed.
Because of that moment he has grown stronger. No pain would break him down.
If he was ever to see Kaoru, he would show her what he's become, and he would rub it in her face; that he wasn't affected by what happened.
Kaoru was having a hard time hailing a cab; all of them seemed to be perverted. Good thing she left her house early.
After a while she was able to hail a cab. She was nervous, what would be her new boss like? She knew that she just had to work hard, and make sure that she doesn't get fired. She really needed the job, she was saving up for the flower shop, and for college; she wanted to finish.
When she finally she reached the building, she was shaking with nerves. She felt weird. She didn't know where to go.
Then she saw a familiar face, Soujirou.
"Sir Soujirou," she started, when he looked at her. "I'm sorry to disturb you but um…"
"You don't know where to go?"
She nodded.
"No problem Kamiya, I was just going to hand some papers to Mr. Himura himself."
She smiled. She was glad that she wasn't going to be lost and late on her first day.
They reached the top floor in no time; they walked down the corridor, into the last door. As Soujirou was opening the door, a girl bumped into Kaoru; sending the entire girl's papers flying. Kaoru started to help the girl, telling her that it wasn't her fault that she was in a hurry, for the girl kept apologizing.
"Mr. Himura, I'm here to drop of some things. First this paper that your father wanted me to give to you; and second, your new secretary."
Kaoru stood up as she heard the word 'secretary'. She smiled back at the girl, as she walked a small distance towards Soujirou.
Kenshin's heart started pounding, as he was looking at the head of his new secretary. The girl had a familiar aura.
'Maybe it was the way the girl put her hair.'
The girl turned around, and Kenshin's heart dropped in his stomach. 'Kaoru.'
Kaoru was still smiling when she turned around. But it suddenly vanished as she saw who was standing behind the desk. 'Kenshin.'
"Let me introduce," Soujirou started. Kenshin and Kaoru's eyes were locked at each other.
"Kamiya Kaoru," Kenshin and Soujirou said at the same time. Soujirou out loud, while Kenshin a breath's whisper.
Soujirou smiled at the both of them, not noticing at the way they were staring at each other. He left the room, saying something about a meeting he had to attend. It fell to deaf ears.
They were silent for a while. Then Kaoru broke it.
"Kenshin," she smiled. "How are you?"
Kenshin blinked. Then he looked away.
"Good," he started reading over the files that Soujirou dropped off. "I see you're my new secretary Miss Kamiya."
"Yes," Kaoru didn't know exactly what to say. "So when did you get back?"
"Two days ago."
"Kenshin I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what Miss Kamiya?"
Her tears started to fall. He acted so different. No, definitely isn't the same anymore. He disregarded everything that happened it seems.
"I'm sorry for…"
She wasn't able to finish what she was about to say; Kenshin cut her off.
"Miss Kamiya, I believe that my company is paying you to work; not to cry. So I suggest you start working, and start acting professionally. I expect for you to start calling me 'sir', because I don't believe I gave you permission to talk to me so informally. You don't want to get fired now do you?"
"No…sir."
"Very well then, I suppose you have the qualities that were needed to get this job?"
"Qualities?" Kaoru didn't remember anything about qualities.
"Why yes Miss Kamiya. This company is looking for someone who will not falter in the face of hardships, someone who is truthful, loyal, and above all else someone who is honest, someone who will tell the truth and not lies. Do you think you have all those qualities?"
"Yes sir."
Kenshin turned away, and went back to his chair. Kaoru started walking to her desk, wiping her eyes.
Despite how Kenshin worded 'the qualities', Kaoru knew that those were accusations; accusations towards her. Kaoru didn't regret one bit of what she did.
'Look at him now, successful, he's reached his potentials.' He won't be able to point fingers at her now, telling her that she tied him down. No matter how many times she said that to herself, she couldn't help but feel that he was accusing her of what he turned out to be.
It was going to be awkward working with him, but she had to be professional. She was going to have to face the reality that Kenshin hated her. She could tell by the coldness of his voice.
She started to work on the papers that were on her desk.
Kenshin couldn't believe that Kaoru was his new secretary.
It would be weird, seeing the girl that broke his heart, just sitting a few feet away everyday at work. They were going to be together at every meeting, every occasion that was work related.
He felt a tug at his heart when he saw Kaoru's tears flowing down. He wanted to wipe it away, but he would be considered weak if he did that. There's a part of him that wants to just forgive her, and another part that wanted to just forget her; but how could he, he'll be seeing her everyday.
Kenshin started to work. There was a pile of papers he needed to sign and read over. It was inevitable; he had to interact with her.
"Miss Kamiya would you please make me some coffee."
"Yes sir." She went up and went to the cabinets, and started to make his coffee. It struck a memory. She remembered how Kenshin use to tell her not to drink so much coffee. Now it seems he's the one who's drinking the coffee. She smiled.
"Here sir." She handed him his coffee.
"Thank you." They went back to work.
It was finally time to go home. After many orders, and some awkward talks from Kenshin; she was ready to go home.
She turned to Kenshin, and saw that he was preparing to leave as well.
"Goodnight sir."
"Goodnight." He didn't even bother to look at her.
When she left the room that was when Kenshin looked up and ran his hands in his hair.
'How am I going to survive days, weeks, months, or even years with her just right next to me?'
He started to go out; he locked the door of his office. He head straight to the parking lot, as he was unlocking the door of BMW he saw a figure approaching. It was only Kaoru.
"Miss Kamiya, what are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to talk to you. I couldn't talk to you at work, but now I can. So how are you Kenshin?"
"Didn't I answer that earlier?"
"No I mean, how's your life?"
"Well as you can see I'm CEO of the company that basically sums up everything."
"I'm proud of you Kenshin, are you happy?"
"Of course I'm happy. I got the company, I have money, me and my father are getting along well now."
She smiled, she was glad he was happy.
"Are you happy?" Kenshin asked.
Kaoru looked at Kenshin, and studied his face, his scar, and his eyes.
"Yes I'm happy. I'm getting back the flower shop soon, I don't have to worry about any debts my father left, I have a job, and you're…"
"I didn't ask you to summarize your life."
"Of course."
He started to get in the car, when Kaoru asked him.
"Did you get my letters?"
"I never got anything from you."
There was double meaning to his words.
"I see, well goodnight again." Kaoru started walking.
"Goodnight." Kenshin started the engine.
A/N: So what do you guys think? Good or bad. Review please. Thank you. I might not be able to update soon. But I will definitely update. Thank you again for the wonderful reviews I got, and to the ones I will be getting. Hehhe.