A/N: Last chapter, minna..

Disclaimer: Uh..tired..not mine..

HOW TO FIND A DATE ON VALENTINE'S

Flashback

Megumi's Residence

Someone was knocking at her door. "Wait a second!", a feminine voice sounded, followed by soft taps of geta from behind the doors. Megumi opened the door and gasped at seeing a familiar raven-haired girl who looked worn our, and there were streaks of tears on her flushed face. The girl looked like she'd break down anytime, so Megumi quickly ushered her inside her house.

"Kaoru,…what's wrong? Why are you crying like that? Where is Kenshin?"

Something clicked in her brain. Did something happen to Kenshin?

"Kaoru, don't cry…tell me, what's wrong..", she insisted, worry etched her features.

"M…megumi….Ken..Kenshin has…left", she squeaked out in a small voice.

"Nani?", Megumi observed that with such a stricken look on her face, Kaoru won't be joking. She just has to do her best in consoling the girl. She almost forgot her own date with Sano in a couple of hours time. But she'd worry about that later.

Kaoru was sobbing in Megumi's arms. And after a while, her muffled cries slowed down into small sniffles.

She looked up to see a concerned Megumi looking at her face. "Here, drink some water, Tanuki..", she handed the cup to Kaoru.

Kaoru glanced at the clock in her friend's living room, and she stood, collecting her shattered composure once again.

"Well, Kitsune, I better go home now, and you better prepare yourself for your date", she attempted a wry smile on her lips.

Megumi blinked in surprise, "Eh? How do you know I have a date, Tanuki?"

Kaoru hoarsely chuckled, "Well, I happened to know… I have my ways…", she winked with her slightly puffy eyes.

Megumi smiled at her and embraced her best friend in a tight hug. "Don't worry, Tanuki, I'm canceling my date..", she said.

Kaoru's face was pouting, "Don't be silly… I'd love to hear the story from you later..", she smiled warmly. "Have a great one!", she waved at the astounded Megumi.

"Kaoru..wait..", she called out.

"Don't worry, Kitsune, I feel a lot better now…", she re-assured her friend.

End of Flashback

The Present

KAMIYA KAORU'S POV

'RING! RING!'

Kaoru sighed as the telephone rang, disturbing her walk to the memory lane.

"Hello?"

"Kaoru.. come down to have dinner at my place tonight, okay? I'm cooking, and I suddenly remember you..and the fact that you can't cook to save your life..so I'm expecting you to come tonight", a feminine voice laced with laughter was heard.

"Megumi, I should've known it's you! Hmmph…you'll never change.. but heck, I'll come down tonight, thanks for your invitation", Kaoru replied, grinning.

"Right…come at 7 o'clock sharp, okay! And Tanuki….", Megumi was hesitant.

"All right…uh? What is it?", Kaoru asked, puzzled at the sudden halt.

"..Are you all right, Kaoru?", Megumi's voice turned genuinely sympathetic as she voiced out her concern toward her best friend.

Kaoru smiled weakly, "…yeah.. I'm fine, thank you..", she managed to say.

"…"

"Okay, I'll see you here tonight then!", Megumi said after a few seconds have lapsed.

"Sure thing…See you soon!", Kaoru forced her voice to sound a little cheerful.

After she hung up the receiver, her eyes glanced out the windows.

Kenshin never did send her any letter. So much for remembering him always…it has been a long four years for her….but slowly she came to accept the fact that Kenshin probably has a new life somewhere out there, and have totally forgotten her. Although the thought of him forgetting her was rather upsetting, but Kaoru has learnt to let go of her childhood sweetheart. Perhaps this is for the best.. Farewell, Kenshin…

Remembering her own depressing Valentine's Day a couple of years ago, she chuckled at recalling Megumi's current relationship. If it wasn't for the bet she and Megumi participated in a week before that fateful Valentine's day, perhaps Megumi wouldn't have noticed Sano, and vice versa. 'They are such an amusing couple!'

Her thought switched to Misao and Aoshi's developing relationship and she smiled at remembering the first time Megumi introduced Misao to her, they instantly clicked, and she could see right away her total devotion to her 'Aoshi-sama'… and Aoshi's affection toward her, albeit not very explicitly displayed. 'Those two are very compatible', she wandered out loud.

What does that mean? So… it's just her who is being left alone now..

Perhaps she should start looking for a boyfriend this Valentine's

Perhaps the magic of Valentine's Day would work for her this year..

Wearing her favorite yukata in dark blue color, with white sakura blossoms embedded on its sleeves, she made her way to Megumi's house. She was getting close, and just as she was pondering what Megumi has cooked for tonight's dinner, she felt a rush of air against her face, and before she could react, she was knocked off her heels by a stranger.

A yelp hasn't even made its way to her throat when she realized that she was still standing.

'Huh? how is it possible?', she looked around her, and saw a pair of hands holding her waist firmly. She looked up and saw a magnificent sight before her in the form of platinum-spiky haired guy, wearing a pair of shades and sporting an earring on one of his earlobes. His clothing was quite out of the ordinary as well, Kaoru noted…and he was wearing a cape.

'He's so handsome…' she said to herself, then blushed at her own thoughts.

The platinum-haired guy was positively smirking when he noted Kaoru's admiring gaze. "You all right?", he asked casually.

"H..hai..daijoubu..", she answered softly, slightly bowing her head to hide her embarrassment from the stranger.

Kaoru recalled her own words…

Perhaps the magic of Valentine's Day would work for her this year..

'There's still a week to go before Valentine's Day'… Kaoru grinned inwardly.

A/N: I'm so sorry, I'm always tempted to write E/K, in the end, it's always E/K, heheheh... so much for K/K in the beginning..I think I better go n sleep..--