Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine. I'm just using its characters for the sake of this story.

Chapter 4: My Gift

Kaoru sighed as she slid her key in the door. She still couldn't believe that she had accepted her friends' plan of spending her birthday in another city, far away from her home, in a luxurious hotel, in one of the best suites, everything completely paid… Okay, so it wasn't that bad, but still… She could smell something fishy.

A small green light in the doorknob flashed and then it clicked open. Looking for the lights' switch at her right, she set her luggage on the floor. When her fingers finally found the switch, before she could do anything, the curtains of the room were suddenly opened, letting the sunlight light the cream-colored living room in front of her.

With a frown on her face, she scanned the room to see if there was someone else in there. However, it seemed that the place was empty. Shutting the door behind her, she looked at the balcony with a doubtful expression. The glass doors were opened, letting a soft breeze dance inside the room. On the coffee table, in the middle of the living room, there was a bouquet of yellow roses and a bottle of champagne, and just then, she noticed that the floor was also covered with red and pink petals. She walked to the table and noticed that there was a note next to the flowers. Kaoru picked it up and rolled her eyes once she read what was written on it.

Dear Kaoru,

Happy Twenty-third Birthday, Tanuki-chan. Hope you like the surprise. The roses are courtesy of Aoshi and Sano, although they said that they wanted to give you jasmines but the company didn't have any. Your flowery carpet is courtesy of the hotel, and of course, the champagne is from Megumi and I. Sorry for not being able to be there with you today but tomorrow we'll make it up to you.

Go out and enjoy Kyoto and the facilities of the hotel. The spa is amazing. Oh yeah, everything is covered… even the food, so just eat as much chocolate as you want.

Hugs,

Misao

PS: But don't eat too much since you still have that marathon to run once you come back.

Kaoru giggled and put the note down on the table. She went to the small kitchen that was at the left side of the living room and looked for a glass in the cabinets. However, she only found cups, so taking one back to the living room she opened the champagne and poured some until the cup was filled half way.

Sipping the bubbly liquid, she walked to the bedroom and what she found in there made her smile brightly. It seemed that her friends had everything prepared beforehand. Those sneaky fools.

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He looked at himself on the mirror and took a deep breath. He brushed the bangs out from his eyes and looked at his watch. She should be in her room by now, and if he wasn't wrong, she was probably opening what he had prepared for her.

He would give her a few more minutes, a few more minutes and then he would know if he would be able to hold her like he used to.

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Kaoru sat on the end of the bed and set her cup on the carpeted floor. She glanced at the many boxes on her bed and before she knew it, she was opening a box that had a note saying "Open me first."

Patiently, she removed the red lace that was around a white box and when she was done, she started moved the box's lid. First, she found a lot of silk paper – which she removed sheet by sheet – and then, she found an envelope. She pulled a card out and read its contents.

Your friendship illuminates my life like the stars the black night. As long as I have you in my life, someone to count on, I'll be alright. Thank you for that piece of your heart.

Kaoru re-read the note and something inside of her started to tremble in anticipation. With shaking hands she removed the last layers of silk paper, and with teary eyes, her fingers caressed the delicate object before her.

It was a single rose made of velvet red and golden silk. The petals were perfectly formed, the material was soft under the skin of her hand, and the golden leaves were shining under the soft light of the afternoon.

As she held the rose, she noticed a second envelope. She put the rose to the side and started to open the note. Her eyes widened in surprise.

But I want more. A piece is just a fragment that covers one hole of my broken soul.

Open the red box with the yellow lace.

Obediently, Kaoru looked for said box and began to unwrap it. There was a lavender envelope and as she opened it, she held the soft sobs coming from her throat. She shouldn't be feeling like this. She shouldn't. She knew what was coming, and she wasn't ready yet. Not yet.

But her heart was thumping loudly in her chest, her hands were trembling in both excitement and fear, and even if she didn't want to admit it, she knew that this was what she had been waiting for.

Taking a deep breath, she read the third note.

You offered me your heart and I didn't know how to keep it safe – even though I promised you I would. You took it away from me and since then I've been lost. Time passed and although I sought and searched, although I tried and begged, all I have now is just a fraction of what I used to have. I'm greedy when it comes to you. But this greed is because I need you so much, because I have had and I have lost.

I'm incomplete. I want to be complete again.

Kaoru put the note to the side and peered what was inside. When she saw it, her sobs increased and she had to wait a few moments to compose herself.

A silver chain with a square locket lay on white papers. On the locket, tiny cursive letters were carefully carved on one side.

"Always yours"

It was the locket she had given him in his birthday during the first year they had been together. She tried to look for another envelope inside but there was none. Then, instinctively, she glanced at a box that was wrapped in blue, and knew that she had to open it next.

However, as she finished unwrapping it, she found that there was a smaller box inside. She opened it as well but instead of finding a note or another object, there was another box, even smaller than the first two. She repeated the process two more times until she found a familiar scarlet box.

Too afraid to open it, Kaoru closed her eyes and caressed it hesitantly. She waited for a long moment before she had the courage to reveal what was inside. However, to her surprise, there wasn't anything but a small piece of paper with a handwriting she could recognize anywhere.

I promised you the moon, I promised you the earth, the universe. I promised to care for you, to be by your side, to make your smile. Those promises were broken but there's a promise I never made because I didn't realize how much you meant, how much you mean to me. You gave me all I wanted and yet, I never gave you what you needed.

There was only one more box to open; however, Kaoru couldn't do it. So this was it. This is why she was here. Everyone had planned it with him. How haven't she noticed it? But how would have she? She thought that her friends respected her decision of giving her time. Even Megumi and Sano, whom had not known about the whole affair until the day Misao had opened her mouth… Even they had helped him. Why.

Feeling slightly betrayed by her own friends, Kaoru stood up and walked toward the balcony of the bedroom, her face slightly wet by her tears. While her right hand held the cup with the champagne, her left had held the locket she had found earlier. As she leaned against the cold railing with her elbows, her back facing the rest of the world, she eyed the locket with saddened eyes.

"Always yours." She said softly, too focused on those two words to notice that someone had entered the room and was watching her longingly.

Kaoru closed her eyes and raised her head to the sky. "Always yours.' She repeated in an almost inaudible voice.

"Always mine."

Startled, Kaoru opened her eyes and reluctantly looked at the man standing next to the balcony's doors.

"Always mine, my Kaoru." He repeated with a soft smile.

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They were sitting at their favorite spot at the park. It was a secluded area in front of the lake. Kenshin was leaning against a tall tree and Kaoru was resting at his side, her head turned toward him.

Kaoru observed him anxiously as he opened his birthday gift. She hoped she hadn't made a mistake. She had spent weeks trying to figure out what to give him until the idea came two days ago. At that time it seemed like a brilliant choice, however, now, sitting next to him, she felt that perhaps she should have picked up something different.

Kenshin opened the box and was surprised by what he found. He raised his eyes to look at his girlfriend and noticed that she was very nervous. Poor Kao. Maybe he could tease her a bit.

She saw him frown and her heart fluttered. She chewed on her lower lip and started playing with her fingers – something she always did when she was nervous.

"How d-do you like it?" Kaoru berated herself for stuttering.

"Mmm," Kenshin replied with a neutral face.

He smiled inwardly as he saw his Kao frown. Just a few more seconds.

"Is that… is that good or bad?" She asked almost with a pleading tone. She needed to know if he liked it or not, if she had rushed things, if he was mad at her, if…

Suddenly, Kaoru found herself in his arms as his mouth started to worship hers. His tongue played with hers as he seldom nipped at her lower lip. He withdrew for a moment just to let her breathe and when he thought she had had enough air, he resumed his assault. When they finally separated, his forehead was pressed against hers.

"So always mine?" He asked her as he cupped her face with one hand.

Kaoru smiled. "Only if you…" But she never finished as Kenshin kissed her again.

"I love you." He said between kisses. "My Kaoru." He licked her lower lip. "Always mine."

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"I think a glass would be much better." Kenshin spoke referring to the cup of champagne Kaoru was holding. He took long steps, and before she could even get away, he was already standing a few inches in front of her.

"You haven't opened the last box." He told her as he took the hand that was holding the locket.

Before she knew it, Kaoru was back in the bedroom and the last box was already resting on her lap.

Kneeling in front of her, Kenshin took her hands in his and looked at her sparkling blue eyes.

"Please, koi, open it." He squeezed her hands and she nodded hesitantly.

Kaoru swallowed before she began to unwrap the box. As she removed the paper, she felt his eyes on her. She felt him move a lock of hair behind her ear and caress her jaw as his hand moved to rest on the side of her neck.

A white envelope rested on top of blue sheets of paper. Kaoru took it and started opening it when Kenshin held her chin and made her look at his eyes.

Kaoru's eyelids fluttered close as Kenshin's lips descended on her forehead. "Happy Birthday." He spoke as his lips brushed against her skin.

She took the note out of the envelope and licked her dry lips. She took a deep breath and noticed that teardrops were forming in her eyes.

I love you

I love you too much to let you go. I love you too much to give up. I love you too much to forget you. I promise to love you, not like I used to but I promise to love you like you deserve to be loved.

Today is a special day for you and there are so many things I want to give to you, however, I'll start with these presents: I give you my hand so you'll have someone to help you when you need it; I give you my smiles so you can use them when the world seems to be surrounded by sadness. I give you my laughs so you can listen to them when you want to cry. I am and I will always be there for you.

I give you my happiness because you control it. I give you my soul because you are my other half; you compliment me. I don't need to give you my heart because you already have it, and I don't want it back. It is staying with you, even if you don't want it. I give you my life because you are my life. You're everything I want, everything I need.

I need you because I love you, and I love you because when I'm with you, you make me want to be a better man. Just for you.

Happy birthday, my love.

Kenshin

Kaoru finished reading and began to cry. A hand covered her mouth to stop the loud sobs but Kenshin took it and shook his head. His own eyes were wet with unshed tears.

"There's something else inside." He motioned her to finish unrevealing the box's contents.

With trembling hands, Kaoru removed the blue papers and when there were no more, what lay before her sight made her cover her face with her hands. Her old engagement ring was glowering in the afternoon light. The sapphire and diamonds encrusted in the silver band were sparkling vividly before her eyes.

Kaoru cried as Kenshin held her, one hand around her back and the other one caressing her hair.

"I was stupid. I was an idiot. I should have told you everything but I was so afraid. I didn't want you to leave me." He kissed her head. "She tricked me and before I knew it, I was caught in her web. I tried to escape so many times. My Kaoru, I was so scared, so terrified. I couldn't lose you. But I did, at the end, I lost you because I was a fool, a coward."

Kenshin removed Kaoru's hands away from her face and instead, he replaced them with his own hands. He caressed her cheeks as he looked at her eyes and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I've waited for you to come back for so long. Day and night I've been needing you so badly that it hurt." He closed his eyes. "Please, let me try again. Let me show you how much I love you. Let me show you that you can trust me again. I need you."

His voice was desperate but when Kaoru lowered her eyes, his heart began to ache.

"Oh lord, please, I need her. I love her too much."

Kenshin prayed as he tried to keep calm. He didn't know what he would do if she rejected him.

"Please, Kaoru." He begged as tears fell from his violet eyes.

Kaoru looked at him again and breathed in before she started speaking.

"You're a fool." Her voice was small but it resounded like loud drums in his ears. Every part of his body became numb as the words sunk in his mind, and just when he was about to pull away from her, he felt one of her hands wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"But I love you this way." She smiled at him and pressed her lips against his.

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So there, although not revised, sorry. Last chapter before the epilogue. Anyway, too many tears and overly cheesy stuff in this chapter, but oh well, sometimes love and tears go hand in hand.

See you again.

Thanks for reading,

Vic