Chapter 2: Welcome to Nagoya!
I've decided to put Prologue as Chapter 1, so this will be Chapter 2.
Disclaimer: Really, no matter how many HOURS I daydream, RUROUNI KENSHIN IS NOT MINE!!!!!!!!! God, I'm gonna cry....joking.....on with the story!
"Oh Kami-sama, KAMI-SAMA!! Please help me, I'm in despair! PLEASE!!!"
Kenshin had given up to himself, and was crying into his pillow. Yeah, he's home at his own house, AND he's crying.....Well, we shouldn't blame him, right?
Kenshin: Hey what are you looking at? sob-sob. Leave me alone!!
Suzume & readers: OK, OK, we'll leave you.
And so, we leave, and afterwards we shall see what's next.
Kenshin woke up to another morning with a tired yawn. What? Have I cried to sleep? he thought. Then, memories of last night came back. His eyes turned amber again as he walked to the bathroom. When he looked at his bedraggled face in the mirror. "Why should I be angry? Why should I think of that bch Yukishiro? I must start a new life! Find something better for me.....yeah....A new life...."
With that, his eyes turned into its soft violet, and a small smile that ensured a bright, new future for him. He brushed his teeth, had a shower, a short shower, and went to his room to think what to do next for his new life.
"What should I do? I still have a whole month of holiday left. Hmm...." he plopped onto his bed and began to think. After what seemed like hours, a lighted bulb appeared out of nowhere.
"Shift! Shift!" Kenshin suddenly sat up on his bed. " Yeah, I could shift from Tokyo and rent an apartment! The new beginning of a SIMPLE and BETTER life!" he continued speaking to himself. But.... "To which city? Aaaargh....." and he plopped onto his bed again.
Then, TING! another lightbulb.....
Kenshin got up and took a piece of paper and drew 4 boxes. In each box, he wrote the names of Japan's main islands. "Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku. There," Kenshin muttered. "OK, time to try my luck...." Kenshin closed his eyes, held his pen high, then brought it down onto the paper. When he opened his eyes, his pen had landed on....
"Honshu. OK, my fate stays here, I'm still in Honshu, but which city/town?" Again, it became a hard choice for Kenshin. So, he decided to try his luck again. On the other side of the paper, he drew another 7 boxes, and in the boxes were his selective cities: Tokyo, Yokohama, Akita, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima. "Hope I won't be fated in Tokyo again. I mean, I like Tokyo, but I don't want to meet with Tomoe again. I also want to taste a new life somewhere else," he murmured, and repeated the same steps again. Next, the pen landed on.......
"Nagoya! Alright, Nagoya is where I'll have my new life!" exclaimed Kenshin. "I'm gonna start a whole new life in Nagoya! Better life!" he said, punching his right fist on his left palm. "Or maybe the BEST life...." Kenshin said thoughtfully. "Nagoya, I'm coming! Yeah baby!!" (A/N: I also say 'Yeah baby!" when I'm really excited!)
But his neighbours....
"What the heck is that red-haired freak shouting for? Guess he really is a freak," mumbled his neighbours. His neighbour-on-the-right even yelled back, "HEY SHUT UP!!!! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT YOU WOKE MY BABIES?!" Then a sharp cry followed. "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Kenshin, being so happy, no....TOO happy, shouted back, "GOMEN NASAI!! TODAY I'M JUST TOO HAPPY!" Yeah, even though last night's memories flooded back now and then, his determination just blocked his Battousai anger.
But how is he gonna find a house in Nagoya? Oh no....Kenshin remembered that he planned to rent an apartment only for his new SIMPLE life....OK, enough about the life thingy! Let's see how Kenshin will find one. No worries, he still had his holidays....Eh? He DID have a cousin staying in Nagoya! Good thing he was destined/fated to be in Nagoya for his new – OK, I know! Quit the life thingy!! – so he decided to call his cousin up.
"OK, what was his number?" He searched for his cousin's number in his handphone's phonebook. "OK, dial it....and wait," muttered Kenshin. Beep-beep, beep-beep, went the ringing tone. Until....
"Mushi-mushi, Seta residence," answered a cheery voice.
"Hey Tenken....know who's this?" said Kenshin.
The person on the other side of the line was surprised. He was listening to a voice too familiar for him.
"Yo, Kenshin, what's up dude?" said Seta Soujirou, Kenshin's closest cousin.
"Dude, thing's down, but now thing's gonna be up! Only if you agree to help me....." replied Kenshin.
"What's that s'pose to mean?" asked a puzzled Soujirou.
Kenshin's response was: "Cuz, you're in high school, right?"
"Yeah....So?"
"I need you to help me find a comfortable apartment or condo' near to your high school."
"Doushite (Why)? You mean you WANT to live in Nagoya?"
"That I'll explain to you some other time. Now tell me whether there are any."
"Sou (oh).....Well, there is one that I know near to my high school.....Eh? Why not you stay with me? It's easier than renting another apartment."
"No....it will only trouble you. Besides, I want my own independent life. I told you, I'll explain to you once I get there."
"You, trouble me?? Oh, for goodness sake (A/N: one of my famous quotes!), you are my cousin, dude!"
"Yeah, OK, OK, fine, you ARE my cousin, but that doesn't mean that we HAVE to live in the same house, right?" exclaimed Kenshin irritated. He rolled his eyes. Why is it so hard to get his forever-smiling cousin into helping him in this?
Soujirou was silent, thinking about what Kenshin had just stated. What his cousin just said made sense....
Kenshin was bored, so he decided to test Soujirou. "Or.....when we get to your high school, you want people to think we are GAYS." he said and smiled mischievously.
Soujirou, the cool smiling dude, fell for the trap and finally let his cheery mask fall off by coughing nervously. He must have choked after hearing what Kenshin just said. "Excuse cough...g-g-ays?! cough cough K-kenshin....you have a point. OK, I'll help you, all to save my honour."
Kenshin was finally glad that Soujirou will help him and laughed. Yeah, he DID made a good point. "Right, make sure that the apartment is convenient and near your school, 'coz I'm gonna be in your school, too."
"OK, whatever!" said Soujirou, relieved. "Afterwards, I'll go to the apartment to see whether there are any empty rooms, ok dude?"
"That's my cousin!" Kenshin was also relieved. He placed a hand across his chest and sighed.
"But still you have to tell me why you're shifting here."
"Hai (Yes)! But only when I get there," promised Kenshin. "A lorry to shift my properties, that I'll manage myself. Apartment rent, that I'll also manage myself. The only thing you must manage for me is to book a room for me. Things cool with you?"
"Hai, hai, cool...Hey dude do you know that you are burning up the phone line, calling from Tokyo to Nagoya?
That was when Kenshin realised Soujirou was right. "Oh gosh, oh gosh! OK, OK, see you soon, OK?"
"Hai! Ja!"
"Ja! Domo arigato (Thank you very much)!"
Kenshin hung up the phone. 'Whoa, that really was a long conversation with Soujirou!' he thought. Man, that smiley cousin of his can be stubborn at times....how long did Kenshin take to persuade the Tenken to help him? Hmm.......he went back to lying on the bed to think his thoughts again.
Then, his memories return to his bitter fight with Tomoe. Fine, he had to admit to himself, he was being cheerful for his new experiences in Nagoya soon, but no matter what remnants of that bitter night wouldn't leave his mind forever, unless he really can control & push it away. So, perhaps he wouldn't need to find his next angel in the future? Maybe he could remain girlfriend-less throughout his whole life. But what if another girl gets to win his heart? Will they last? Or will it end as painful as his relationship with Tomoe? Or maybe.........his true angel will just appear unexpectedly? Who knows........Who Knows? Hey, that's one of his favourite Avril Lavigne songs! Kenshin decided to listen to it. He got up, took his MP3 Discman, insert Avril's album 'Under My Skin', then switched to song no. 9, Who Knows.
Why do you look so familiar,
I could swear that I've seen your face before,
I think I like that you seem sincere,
I think I'd like to get to know you a little bit more,
I think there's something more life's worth living for...
Who knows what could happen,
Do what you do,
Just keep on laughing,
One thing's true, there's always a brand new day,
I'm gonna live today like it's my last day....
Kenshin was thinking, 'Yeah, who knows what could happen, Tomoe can keep on laughing at me, but really this thing's true, there's always a new day ahead of me.....Man I love this song!'
How do you always have an opinion,
And how do you always find the best way to compromise,
We don't need to have a reason,
We don't need anything, we're just wasting time,
I think there's something more life's worth living for...
Who knows what could happen,
Do what you do,
Just keep on laughing,
One thing's true, there's always a brand new day....
Who knows what could happen,
Do what you do,
Just keep on laughing,
One thing's true, there's always a brand new day....
I'm gonna live today like it's my last day....
Again Kenshin was thinking, 'Yukishiro & I didn't need to have a reason to be together, she was the one who said "No dates, no nothing", and there she goes with that Hikaru guy. Aargh....forget 'bout her...' he slapped his forehead.
Find yourself 'coz I can't find you,
Be yourself, who are you?
Find yourself 'coz I can't find you,
Be yourself, who are you?
Who knows what could happen,
Do what you do,
Just keep on laughing,
One thing's true, there's always a brand new day....
So you go make it happen,
Do your best,
Just keep on laughing,
Telling you, there's always a brand new day....
Who knows what could happen,
Do what you do,
Just keep on laughing,
One thing's true, there's always a brand new day....
I'm gonna live today like it's my last day................
Kenshin's conclusion? Wake up and forget about the bitter past, because there's always a brand mew day. And one day his questions will surely get their answers.
It was 7.21 in the morning. Kenshin was sleeping soundly, drooling (what? drooling? he must be dreaming sth. nice....x)..........until he was woken by the ringing on his handphone.
Kenshin turned in his bed. He got up clumsily, tripped at the bed leg (oooww.....), got up again, ruffled his messy untied red hair, took his phone, and answered it.
"Mushi-mushi, Himura Kenshin here."
"Dude, ohayou (good morn')! Sorry for waking you up this early...if you were sleeping."
Kenshin was wondering, what the heck was this guy calling him this early?
"Soujirou? Hey, you woke me up from such a sweet dream!" said Kenshin, irritated & bang a fist on the wall.
Hand going up and down, Soujirou apologized. "OK, OK, relax.....gomen ne..."
"So Kenshin asked, "Now what's so important?"
"I found you an apartment already!"
"Nani (what)?! So fast?!" Kenshin was totally surprised. Wow, you're so speedy! Your Shikuchi style suits you, Tenken....How did you manage it?" He was already out from his sleepiness.
His cousin chuckled. "Neh, it was nothing, dude! Anyway, it was all for you."
"For me?" said a puzzled Kenshin, scratching his head, making his hair messier, until it looked like fire-shrubs.
"I know something's troubling you over there in Tokyo. Something quite...eerr....major. Yes, major."
"How did you figure it out? I didn't sound sad yesterday over the phone, right? (sigh)" sighed Kenshin and dropped back on his bed.
"If things were great there, you wouldn't have decide to shift all the way here to Nagoya, so it's easy to tell you're having some kind of problem," explained Soujirou. "Cummon, tell your cuz what's wrong. He can help," assured Soujirou. But Kenshin only said he'll only tell what's wrong after his shift to Nagoya. But Soujirou was worried (worried? I don't think so....he just wants to know faster....o0x) Kenshin will break his promise.
Kenshin was taken aback. He brought up his right hand to shoulder level and swore that he, Himura Kenshin, will tell Soujirou about the matter only after he got there.
Soujirou on the other line, put a hand in front of him as if protecting himself, and told Kenshin to cool down, 'coz he was only joking, then apologized. "Gomen ne...."
Kenshin was thinking, 'Soujirou no baka.... (Idiot Soujirou...)', until he remembered the were supposed to talk about his new apartment. Oro??
"OK, I'm sorry too, now back to my apartment???"
Soujirou stopped apologizing. "Oh yeah, right. The apartment, I think it might fit your conveniences, coz it's near my school, and you can cycle with me to school together..."
"Oh, really, you cycle to school?"
"Yes, and as I was saying..."
"Talk about school later. Keep to the apartment."
"I KNOW!!!! I was going to talk about the apartment. So now,"
Kenshin cut again. "Oh."
Soujirou sighed. 'This apartment is a single room one, with a living hall..."
Again, Kenshin cut! "Yeah, that's what I want! A single room. Sou, you're smart."
"Whatever...So I know that currently you're living in your own house, that means you've your own sofa, TV, interior equipments, and so on, so I asked some workers to leave the room empty. OK?"
"Soujirou, I can't believe you see every single aspect. Everything fits for me! I'm cool with it!" said Kenshin, and a smile, hey I mean his famous humble-looking Rurouni smile! "But—is it air-conditioned? I can't sleep without it."
"Checked! Plus it's the newest air-con' from Panasonic!"
"Great!" Then he yawned. He remembered that he was supposed to be sleeping....
"Right, thanks a lot for your help --"
"It was nothing."
"Whatever, but thanks again! Anyway, I want to ask from you something."
"Anything! as long as it's possible."
"LET ME GO BACK TO SLEEP!!!!" yelled Kenshin.
Soujirou had to put the phone away from his ears. "Fine, fine, but please DON'T MAKE ME DEAF!!" he yelled back.
" (yawn...) Yeah, yeah, ok, ja ne."
"Ja!"
Five minutes later....in the Himura residence....?
snore..........snore.........snore....... (poor sleepy Kenshin!)
At last, the day for Himura Kenshin to move to Nagoya had come. Two big lorries were in front of his house. Workers were taking out sofas, tables, chairs, lights, etc. from his house. Kenshin was "Put these things here" and "No, they should be there" "Yes, exactly" and so on, until finally all his properties were in the lorries.
"Alright everybody, time to move!" Kenshin shouted to the lorry-drivers. Then, he got into one of the lorries. And so, the far journey to Nagoya begins.
Well, Kenshin hadn't expected the journey to be so far.....It was hours already.....Throughout the journey he looked out of the opened window, enjoying the breeze and looking out at green Mother Nature, while listening to another of his favourite band singer, Linkin Park using his MP3 player. Anyway, the album he was listening to was Meteora. After listening to all the songs in the album, he listened to Linkin Park's 1st album: Hybrid Theory EP. After that disc was over, he listened to LP's 2nd album: Hybrid Theory. Next, Reanimation. After that, Meteora again......then LP's concert CD, Linkin Park Live in Texas.
After hours of Linkin Park songs, he asked the driver, "Excuse me, are we there yet?"
Kenshin got a solemn "Nearly, but not really nearly." Hearing that solemn yet funny reply, he fell back anime-style, with that anime-star on his forehead, and a drop of sweat on his cheek. (hahahahaha!)
"OK..." Kenshin scratched his head, and flashed his infamous Rurouni smile.
He then kept all his Linkin Parks CDs in their appropriate cases. Next, he switched to his 2nd favourite singer, Avril Lavigne. He listened to her 1st album, Let Go. It's a pop album. Hmm.....................................................................................Oh, he finished the album already. So Kenshin decided to ask again.
"Are we anywhere near there yet?"
Another solemn "Nearly but not so near." from the driver. ???? Kenshin fell back anime-style again.
"Oro..?" oOx
Kenshin then listened to Avril's latest album, Under My Skin. It's a rock album.
Again, after the album was over, he asked, "There already?"
"Nearly...another half an hour, I think," said the solemn man.
"Hmmm..."
Kenshin had already heard enough music already in a day! Hmm, thought Kenshin, I already listened to – he started counting: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7?! Seven CDs?! Man, it's the first time I listened to this much of CDs!! Unbelievable!!
He continued his sight-seeing at the window. So they were nearly there. He had been sight-seeing since the beginning of the journey, and the breeze had blown his hair. Slowly, his head looked as if it was on fire, because the breeze had made his hair very, very messy. Well, Kenshin didn't realised it, until:
"Hey kid, we're already entering the borders of Nagoya. Do you want people to stare at you?" asked the driver quietly, but Kenshin was sure the driver was holding a chuckle under his breathe.
"What do you mean?" asked a confused Kenshin.
"Look at your hair."
"Hah?"
"Here, take this mirror." offered the driver, whose voice was obviously holding a chuckle because his voice wasn't that solemn and more cheerful now.
"Thanks." And when he looked at his 'head-on-fire', oh god.....
"Oro?!" squeaked Kenshin meekly. He fell back anime-style again, that little star-mark and a sweat drop appear again. Kenshin quickly untied his hair, straighten it, then tied it back in his usual low ponytail. By then, the lorry driver couldn't hold his chuckle anymore.
"Ha, ha, ha, you're funny. Your head just looked as if it's on fire," though he still sound solemn a little. "Anyway we've just past the border of Nagoya."
"Honto ni? (Really?)" He out of the window, and yes, factories were appearing, then some buildings. People were looked walking here and there, cars going there and here. Soon, he past by a high school, which was definitely Soujirou's one.
And finally, his apartment. Soujirou was standing in front of the apartments. Kenshin got down from the lorry. He ran up to the forever smiling Soujirou, who greeted him with a bow and a "Irrashaimase! Welcome to Nagoya!"
Kenshin bowed back & smiled his Rurouni smile. "Arigato, Soujirou! Wow, Nagoya looks cool!" He looked up at the apartments. Then he noticed the workers were waiting for his instructions.
"Soujirou, 'cummon, my properties need to get going!"
"Hai!"
And soon enough, they were instructing to move the things to which apartment, which was, of course, apartment number 126 (AN: OK, if any of my close friends are reading this, I think you should know what number is this, 126??? x). Kenshin was pretty busy.
"The sofa goes here!"
"Set the tables and chairs there!"
"Soujirou, please put those equipments there, thank you!"
"No, no, these things go there, not here!"
And so on, so forth.
It was already night. Soujirou was helping Kenshin clean up the place. The place was kinda dusty, because a lot of things had been moved around just now in the evening.
After what seemed like days to them, they dropped down on the couch, with a BIG sigh, totally exhausted.
"Today...pant...is the busiest...pant-pant...day in my life!" panted Kenshin.
"pant-pant Same here, too....pant..." said Soujirou.
They rested in silence, until Soujirou broke it. "Hey dude, your promise. To tell me what's wrong."
Kenshin remembered, and finally told his cousin everything, with his head drooping down. Once in awhile, his eyes turned gold-amber.
"Whoa, dude, that's bad. Really bad. I'm very sorry for you. Man, that Yukishiro's really a devil. Anyway, is that the reason you're here?"
"Yes, because certain places in Tokyo reminds me of her, and there we're in the same school. I don't want to see her again. I want to start a new life, with new hope."
"Hmm...."
"OK, Sou, you can go now!"
"But the cleaning's not done yet!"
"I'll do it myself tomorrow. You're pretty tired. Go back to rest. Thanks for your help, anyway!"
"OK...." Soujirou hesitated. "I'm going now....ja!"
"Ja!"
Click! The door opened, then closed. Soujirou's wasn't there anymore. Kenshin was quite tired. He decided to walk along the streets near his place to blend into Nagoya. Kenshin took a brief shower, changed his clothes, & got out.
Wow, he thought, Nagoya at night's kinda like Tokyo. Kenshin passed by a lot of shops, restaurants and pubs. Tired of walking around, Kenshin stopped and entered a pub.
He sat at a table in a corner of the pub. Kenshin ordered a bottle of red wine. He took a sip. 'Hey, this wine's good.' He took sips by sips, until it was nearly finished. Kenshin payed the bill, and went back to his table to finish his drinks.
While Kenshin was enjoying his last sip of good wine, a drunk, long raven-haired girl staggered at Kenshin's direction, and tripped at his table, causing her to drop on Kenshin's lap!
"Wanna hef a....a...drink?? Kamon, drin wef miiii......." the girl murmured drunkenly.
Kenshin, nervous, because a girl was on his lap! "N-n-no t-thanks, m-m-miss...e-exc-cuse me...b-b-but I-I have t-to go now...." Kenshin tried to stand up, but the young lady kept on pulling on his sleeve.
"Noooo......dun lif meeee.....aloooone......" the girl was muttering to no one in specific, but Kenshin looked at her face. Her eyes were half opened, and gosh....when he looked into those blue-sapphire eyes, he found tears and a whole world of gloom in those beautiful eyes. Also, based on what that girl muttered, he could tell that the girl was facing a very major problem. Kenshin pitied her and decided to let her stay at his apartment until she regain consciousness, then perhaps he could help her settle things.
Kenshin put the girl on his back, then piggy-back ride her. He passed the counter.
"Hey you, do you know that girl? She has been drinking strongly these few days. I dunno what's wrong with that young lady. You know her?"
"Err, yeah, I do know her! I-I've been trying to locate her these few days," lied Kenshin. "OK, thanks, bye."
Kenshin hurriedly left for his home with the girl on his back. Lucky for him, she's quite light.
At the apartment, he put her on his bed. Oh no, too bad his apartment only has one bedroom, meaning there's only one bed! Does that mean he has to share bed with that young girl?!
Kenshin took a spare blanket and covered the poor girl. He looked at her face again. As she slept, tears began to fall again. He wiped the tears away, and because he couldn't resist it, Kenshin ran his fingers in her hair. That silky, raven hair fit her sapphire eyes, he thought but it didn't fit her troubles.
"Don't worry, I'll try to help you. Sleep well." murmured Kenshin. "Oyasumi (good night)!" Kenshin decided to sleep in the small couch in his bedroom.
A/N: How's it? Hey, it was 10 pages on Microsoft Word! My fingers are tired...not! So, does that drunk girl sound familiar? Heheh, I won't introduce her 'til the next chapter, even thoug you all should know who she is! Anyway, this chapter's mainly on Kenshin. But net chapter onward, there will be more characters, OK? Please press the cute button down there and review, OK? Suzume-chan will appreciate if you do so! And thanks to Koharu-chan, Sakura1310 & 2 more reviewers for their reviews! Sakura1310, I'll write more for sure (She's one of my best friend!)! And Koharu-chan, your piece of advise really helps! Thanks! The other 2 persons, thanks a lot! OK, til next chapter! Bye!!!!
Next chapter: The girl that Kenshin brought back from the pub has lots of problems. Too helpless, she soughts help and advise from Kenshin. The holiday is also over, and Kenshin will be going to his new school with Soujirou! But SHOCK! The young lady's in the same school as Kenshin! How good Kenshin & the girl's friendship will start? Find out in Chapter 3!!