Author's Notes: Dah! Thiswas originally the next chapter, but I decided to make a transition chapter, so here it is! Half way done with the story! Two more will be up tomorrow...hopefully! That's the plan anyways.
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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Rurouni Kenshin characters. I do own the idea to this story though, and I do hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've liked writing it. Warning: Swearing!
Chapter 3: Today is the Day
:---:
Megumi Takani sat at her desk, a pen poised over a piece of stationary. All that was written on that stationary so far was one name. Sanosuke. To her left was a pile of Valentines for her group of friends, to her right sat markers and construction paper, and in front of her laid her one Special Valentine. Misao, Kaoru and she had done this ever year since she could remember. They hadn't always told each other, but they all had done it every year. Those feeling where about to be told to one certain Chicken head baka from one Kitsune
What do I write, how do I say 'I love you' to him after telling him 'I hate you' for so long, even if I really meant the opposite all of those years. Megumi put her pen down and bounced her head off of her desk.
"Why" Megumi asked to her empty room. Off in the distance she heard the honking of horns and the sounds of the city. He'd be sitting in his own room, in his own apartment. What was he doing, was he agonizing over his Valentine to her? Probably not. He'd put Kitsune on the outside of the store bought anime Valentine, signing Chicken Head on the inside. She had a thought. She started writing quickly in her neat writing.
Sanosuke
How do I say 'I Love You' when I've said 'I Hate You' for so long. I guess I just have to simply say it. Sanosuke Sagara, I Love You. It started as a simple crush in grade school, and as we grew and changed, so did that simple crush. It changed into love. A love that caused me to change. I kept up with our bickering, a way to hide my feelings. You caused my heart to ache every time you smiled at me, but also making me smile in turn.
You where always there for me, and that makes the love I have for you even stronger, your protection, when I needed it most, helped me, and once again, made the love grow stronger. Please, say you love me back if you truly do love me back, no matter what I've said to you in the past.
Kitsune
She was done. She didn't know how she did it, but she had written it, and with no tears or thought that he would say no. Her hand shook as she gathered the Valentines together and placed them in her book bag and got ready for bed.
I just hope he doesn't ruin it with an argument. Was Megumi's last thought before she drifted off to sleep on February 13.
:---:
"Meg! Megumi!" Kaoru yelled coming down the hall to Megumi's locker.
"Ohayo Kaoru." Megumi said, getting books out of her locker.
"Are you really going through with it?" Kaoru asked.
"Yes. We're juniors. It's about time the truth is told." Megumi said turning to Kaoru. "Are you going through with your plan?" She asked as they started walking toward their homeroom.
"Yes. I had a hard time though. I just couldn't put the right words down."
"What did you end up writing?" Megumi asked.
"'I love you Kenshin. I always have. I always will. You are my protector, my savior, my friend. Love, Kaoru. Forever.'"
Megumi stopped as they reached Misao's locker, right across from their homeroom. "You really said that?" She asked.
"What did you say?" Misao asked Kaoru only catching what Megumi had said.
"Her Valentine to Ken-san." Megumi answered.
"Did you follow through with yours Misao?" Kaoru asked after Megumi answered Misao, trying to pull the attention away from herself.
"Yes I did. What did you say?" Misao asked again.
"I told him the truth." Kaoru answered simply.
"What exactly did you say?" Misao asked.
"None of your business!" Kaoru answered, blushing.
"Come on, just tell me, it's not like any of them are around, and I already know everything. What did you say in Kenshin's Valentine?"
"I told him I loved him."
"Also, I always did, always will. That he was her protector, savior and friend." Megumi finished for Kaoru.
"Kaoru, that's so perfect." Misao answered, closing her locker.
"Misao, what's that?" Megumi asked.
"What's what?" Misao asked turning around. That's when she saw it. A single rose with a note stuck to her locker. "I don't know. I'll read it in homeroom, bells about to ring anyways." Misao said, taking the note and rose and heading across the hall.
"Hm. Wonder who it's from." Kaoru asked.
"Aoshi?" Megumi whispered.
"Do you think?" Kaoru asked looking ahead at Misao as she went to her seat in the alphabetized seating arrangement.
"Who knows." Megumi answered, going to her own seat.
:---:
"Did you do it Sano?" Kenshin Himura asked, sitting down in the desk in front of Sano's.
"Everything is planned. It's going to be perfect. If this doesn't change her mind, or make her confess, I don't know what will."
"What do you have planned Chicken head?" Aoshi Shinomori.
"You'll probably hear eventually. How about you?" Sano responded, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair.
"Stage one initiated this morning when I got to school." Shinomori answered in a low tone as he heard the girls enter the classroom.
"Everyone, please take your seats! Attendance is about to be taken!" Mr. Tadakichi said standing up from working at his desk.
"Arima." Tadakichi-sensei yelled out, starting the role.
"Present." The young man called out, going back to whatever he was working on.
"Kenshin. Yo, Kenshin." Sano hissed as Tadakichi yelled out more names.
"What Sano?" Kenshin responded.
"Himura."
"Present." The red head announced, turning back to glare at his friend.
"What did you end up deciding on for Kaoru?"
"Dinner."
"Dinner? Your not very romantic." Sano said, as Kenshin came to attention at the next name.
"Kamiya."
"Present."
"Kenshin, man are you in deep." Sano said as Aoshi snorted in amusement.
"I am not." Kenshin hissed out. "And your one to talk Aoshi." Kenshin said, not being paid attention to by the silent friend out of the three of them.
"Makimachi."
"Present."
"I am just checking to see that she is here."
"You know perfectly well she's here. The girls never miss Valentine's Day. You probably also felt her ki the moment she walked into school anyways." Sano replied.
"Mizumura."
"Present."
"Niwa." Tadakichi - sensei continued in the front of the class.
"Present."
"Sagara."
"Present."
"Shinomori."
"Present."
"Would the three of you also keep it down?" The teacher said before going onto the next name, "Uchida."
"Present."
"And I am romantic. That's just the simple form." Kenshin hissed at Sano and Aoshi as Tadakichi finished the role.
Everyone in their class turned to their friends and started talking quietly. In total there were 28 students in their homeroom, they were class 3-B, the second class of the four Junior Class homerooms. While Kenshin, Sano and Aoshi where hissing and growling in the back corner of the classroom by the windows, the girls where trying to get each others attention on the opposite side, against the wall.
"Can you see what it says?" Megumi said, poking Kaoru in the back as she sat behind her.
"No. Misao. Misao!" Kaoru said, quietly, then a bit louder when the girl didn't respond at first.
"Hm?" Misao said, turning to her two friends.
"What does the note say?"
"Oh. Simply Happy Valentine's Day." Misao answered.
"Do you recognize the writing?" Megumi asked.
"No. It looks like it was changed slightly though." Misao answered, looking once more at the tiny rectangle piece of card stock paper with a little red heart sticker in the upper corner.
"When are you giving Aoshi the letter?" Megumi asked.
"When are you giving Sano yours?" Misao asked back.
"Sometime. Sometime today, when it feels right." Megumi answered her.
"When what feels right Fox?" Megumi heard behind her. She knew who it was, no one called her that name but Sano, but she had known before he started to talk. It was the effect that he had on her, the air started to crack and tingle around her with energy when he approached her.
"That is none of your business, Rooster head." Megumi answered him and he sat on the desk across from her.
"Sounds like the Fox has a love letter for someone!" Sano said, laughing to Kenshin and Aoshi. Megumi smirked and thought 'If he only knew…'
"Why would I write a love letter to anyone? I receive them." She decided to say instead.
"Sure ya do, Fox. I'll expect a count of how many at the end of the day."
"Okay everyone!" Mr. Tadakichi said loud enough to get everyone's attention. "Valentine's Day is always a hard day here at the school. Behave, and don't let those hormones get to wound up! There's gonna be enough trouble without that stuff!" He finished before he got up to leave the classroom as homeroom class ended and their first class teacher, Hatake-sensei.
"Great. Hatake-sensei." Sano said as he slid off the desk and joined the other two to walk back to their desks to start their Japanese history class.
"Why doesn't Sano like Hatake-sensei?" Kaoru asked, turning to Megumi.
"Why would you expect me to know? The Rooster brain doesn't tell me anything." Megumi answered.
"Thought maybe you'd be able to pick up on something he told you." Kaoru answered.
The hour long lesson went by somewhat quickly. Hatake- sensei stopped teaching on the Tokogawa time period and took the class through the history of Valentine's day. The class enjoyed the lesson, and had quite a bit of time at the end, where their own teacher pulled out a novel, a romance novel.
"Um…Hatake-Sensei?" A girl up front asked raising her hand.
"Yes Rika-san?"
"Is that a romance novel?" She asked timidly.
"Why, yes it is. It is called Come, Come Paradise." He answered her, holding the book up so she and rest of the class could read the front cover.
Several more minutes passed, everyone chatting away. Kenshin and Sano walked over to chat with Kaoru, Megumi and Misao, as Aoshi walked up front, asked Hatake a question, and walked out of the classroom.
"Where did Aoshi-sama go?" Misao asked Kenshin, who was sitting in front of her.
"Hm? Oh he had something to do." Kenshin answered somewhat distractedly.
:---:
"Meg, Kaoru, look!" Misao said excitedly as she walked to her locker in the Girls dressing room. Their history class had just ended, and the group had made their way down to the gym area to get read for PE.
"It's just like the one you had on your locker this morning." Kaoru said, getting her clothes out as she looked over at Misao.
"Exactly the same!" Misao answered her.
"What does this one say?" Megumi asked.
"I love You.'" Misao read.
"That's…well that's sweet, but short." Kaoru said.
"It doesn't give us much to go on." Megumi answered.
"Yeah, but who ever it is, isn't trying to let me guess before he wants me to figure it out." Misao answered, carefully placing the second rose with the first that she had gotten that morning.
"Do you have any idea who it is?" Megumi said, pulling on her gym uniform.
"I have hopes, but no firm idea on whom it is. Maybe after the next one or two notes." Misao said as they left the dressing room. They were heading out the door when something a girl said caught their attention.
"I'm giving one to Sagara-kun. He's just so heavenly!" Megumi heard one of the girls say as she was finishing getting changed. Kaoru and Misao had also heard, and looked over at Megumi. Her eyes were wide as she looked over at the girl, Sumi, who had said this to her two friends.
"What did you just say Sumi-san?" Megumi asked her sweetly.
"Oh no. Megumi doesn't look to pleased." Misao said to Kaoru as they followed Megumi to where Sumi was standing.
"No she doesn't. She's entirely to calm." Kaoru answered her.
"You have no right!" Megumi yelled at Sumi as she pushed her against the lockers.
"Megumi-san! I didn't do anything to you!" Sumi cried.
"You sure did. Repeat what you just said."
"I just said that I was giving Sagara-kun a Valentine!" Sumi said. Shortly after the words left her mouth, her scream was heard around the room, and in the boys' room down the hall as well. Megumi's fist had accidentally hit Sumi's face instead of the locker next to her face. Or that's what she told Misao and Kaoru later. Neither where to convinced it was an accident.
"He's mine. He might not know it, no body else may know it yet, but he's mine, and everyone will know it by tomorrow." Megumi said menacingly. "Got it honey?" She left, pushing herself away from the locker and walking out the door to the field where the class was going to be playing field hockey that day.
Kaoru and Misao followed her out, stopping short when Megumi stopped suddenly.
"What's wrong Meg?" Kaoru asked.
"That freaking BASTARD! I hate that freakin' chicken head baka!" Megumi said, her eyes shooting darts at Sano who was standing with Kenshin and Aoshi against the bleachers, all three of them surrounded by girls.
"Meg, this happens every class. Every single girl in the class loves one of the three! We're lucky we don't have more scenes like the one that just happened!" Misao said, running after Megumi who was stalking over to Sano. She grabbed his arm and dragged him away from the group.
"What's wrong with Megumi?" Kenshin asked Kaoru quietly.
"Nothing. She's just mad at Sano, nothing out of the ordinary." Kaoru answered. "Are you ready to play field hockey Kenshin?"
"Yeah, I heard we're playing guys versus the girls. It should get interesting."
"What was that about Fox!" Sano said when they got a bit farther away from everyone else.
Megumi kept walking.
"Come on, won't you tell me what I did this time?" Sano said grabbing her arm and turning her around.
Megumi glared at him, wrenched her arm away from him and walked over the glove of trees just off the field and gym area. Sano looked at her, felt the envelope that he had in his shorts pocket, shook his head, and walked to where she was standing, a few paces away.
"Come on Kits, won't you tell me what I did wrong? Kenshin, Aoshi and I where just standing there."
"I just took it out on you. I'm use to the girls standing there talking to you guys, throwing themselves at you every class. It's just that, with what Sumi said in the locker room, then seeing that directly afterwards, I just lost my head." Megumi said, her hands on her hips, she could feel the stiff cardstock in the envelope that was there. She had thought she'd slip it into Sano's pocket to be found after class. That way she wouldn't have to see him read it, or directly afterwards since they didn't have class together after gym.
"Megumi?" Sano asked. When she looked up, his chocolate eyes, searching her own.
"Hm?" She said, feigning confusing.
"What's really wrong? What did Sumi-san say?" Sano said, taking a few steps closer to her.
"It's nothing. I swear."
"No. It isn't, your about to cry." Sano said, taking her chin and lifting her face to see it. She was so beautiful. He knew that he would not get her, but he had to tell her his feelings, or he'd regret never taking the chance and trying.
"Baka. Maybe later, class is starting right now." Megumi said, walking off to the field.
"Are you okay Megumi?" Misao asked when she joined them on the field a few minutes later.
"Yes."
"Did you, you know, give him the letter?" Kaoru asked.
"No, I will after class." Megumi answered. A few minutes later, they started the game. They played the entire class, the sun feeling good on the young teens.
When the class ended they were walking back to the locker rooms. Megumi was walking with Kaoru and Misao, a bit ahead of the boys. Megumi slowed down a bit, taking the envelope out of her pocket, and going up next to Sano on his right.
"Hey there Fox. Feeling better after that workout?" Sano asked her.
"Immensely better." Megumi said as she slipped the note into his hand. She ran off, to catch up with Kaoru and Misao. Sano looked down at the envelope, they watched as Megumi walked into the building, laughing at Misao as she had tripped on the step going into the building.
Sano glanced down at the envelope, then slid it into the pocket next to his envelope to her. Kenshin and Aoshi looked at him, questions in their eyes, but he just shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he walked into the guys locker rooms.
:---:
Sano re-read the note once more as class was beginning. 'She loves me. She really, really loves me.' He thought as the teacher went over the objectives for the class that day. I guess I'll give her my note next class, instead of end of the day like I planned. Maybe the plan I had for tonight wasn't so outrageous after all.
:---:
"Another rose?" Kaoru asked as the three girls sat down at their desks in the home economics classroom.
"Yeah. Same as the first two." Misao answered them.
"What does this one say?" Megumi asked, trying to see from her seat in front of Misao.
"'Meet me today, please'." Misao told them
"No place? No time?" Kaoru asked. "How are you supposed to meet him if he doesn't tell you when or where?"
"I think I'll be getting more. I've gotten one each period. I must be getting more." Misao answered.
"Obviously. Just wonder what they will say. So…mysterious. They leave no clue as to who is leaving them though." Megumi said, wondering.
"Mysterious. Hm, you're wish might come true today Misao." Kaoru said.
"My wish? What wish?"
"You Valentine's Day wish every year. To have Aoshi return your feelings."
"You think this is Aoshi?" Misao asked as the teacher began role call.
"He's anonymously described by everyone as mysterious." Megumi answered. "It does fit."
:---:
"Kamiya Kaoru please come to the office. Kaoru Kamiya, please come to the office." The loud speaker rang as their fourth period began.
Misao and Megumi turned to her and Kaoru shrugged her shoulders. "Kaoru, what do you think it is?" Misao asked.
"Why? Why am I being called to the office? I haven't done anything! I just hope nothing is wrong at home." Kaoru said as she raised her hand.
"It's probably something else. You probably aren't even in trouble." Megumi said to her.
"What did you do now Missy?" Sano said from where he sat two rows over.
"That's very much unlike you to be called into the office Kaoru." Kenshin responded.
"I don't know. I haven't done anything wrong!" Kaoru answered them, getting a nod of confirmation from the teacher.
"I'm sure it isn't anything, Kaoru." Kenshin responded, as she left the room.
It was a few minutes later when Kaoru walked back into the hall. She held a bunch of white orchids and jasmine in her hand. She slowly made her way back to her seat, also holding a letter along with the flowers.
"Who's it from, Kaoru?" Misao whispered as she passed.
"I don't know. I haven't open it yet." Kaoru whispered back.
The girls didn't notice Aoshi and Sano's secret glances to where Kenshin sat, and the nod of his head.
Kaoru sat down, placing the orchids carefully on the top of her book bag under her seat. She looked up at the board and started taking notes, looking anxiously at the envelope she had placed next to her notebook. After a few minutes she had caught up with the notes, and had a chance to open the note.
Kaoru
Meet me tonight at the dojo. 5 o'clock.
Secret Love
:---:
"So who where the flowers from Kaoru?" Misao asked as they walked out of the classroom, on their way to lunch.
"Hm? Oh it was sign Secret Love." Kaoru answered her as Misao opened her locker.
"Another one?" Megumi asked as Misao removed the rose from on top of her books.
"Yep!" Misao said reading it. "Today at 4 o'clock." She said her two friends.
"Okay, so you know when, but where?" Kaoru
"Must be in the next note." Misao answered on their way to Kaoru and Megumi's lockers.
:---:
"I can't believe this Misao. Whoever is sending you these roses really doesn't want you to know who they are." Megumi said reading the latest note.
"'Today, 4 o'clock at the old temple.'" Kaoru read. "How is that supposed to give us any clues!"
"I know who it is." Misao said quietly, a blush coming to her cheeks.
"How do you know?" Megumi asked.
"Hm? Oh the Old Temple. I only know one temple that is referred to as the 'old temple' and I know who goes there."
"Who is it?" Kaoru asked.
"I don't want to jinx it. I'm afraid that if I say it out loud, it might ruin the whole thing. It's like a dream." Misao responded.
"Hm. Okay." The two girls said, looking over to where the boys where sitting.
:---:
"Hey Megumi, looks like you got something special too." Misao said, walking to their seats in their next class.
"Hey, look, the fox has a secret admire!" Sano said. "Or maybe not so secret, maybe she has a lover tucked away none of us know of!"
"What! You Tori-atama! I'll kill you!" Megumi said, jumping over the desk, and going after Sano in the back of the room. Sano easily dodged all of her shots with her fist.
"Mr. Sagara. Ms. Takani. Please take your seats!" The teacher yelled, coming into the classroom. 'Jeez, I hope those two realize their animosity are really strong feelings soon, or we'll have a bloodbath someday.' He thought as he started setting up for the class.
Megumi,
Please meet me at the turn in river tonight at 5:30
Your Valentine
"You got another one Misao?" Megumi asked.
"Yeah. This one simply says 'I Love You.'" Misao said with a huge smile on her face as they left the school.
"I wonder what we'll get into tonight. Usual spot at midnight?" Megumi asked the other two.
"Midnight." Kaoru answered, looking into the sunshine that was filling the courtyard.
"Midnight." Misao said with a nod.