Disclaimer: i don't own RK, nor the main plot.

important: do you readers want me to update more and in smaller sizes or less often with more longer chapters? quick side note, do u readers want me to reply to your reviews, or do you think it's a waste of space?

Chapter three:
Inclosed

As Kaoru walked by the gym door, her hair got caught in the door's hinges. 'Oh great,' she thought. 'It's not like I'm not embarrassed enough already and now this. I bet they're all laughing now.' She began to tug at her hair to pull it loose. However, unsuspecting by anyone, just above Kaoru's head was a loose sharp blade from a metal slate, the very same one that Aoshi was suppose to fix earlier. And it was about to fall.

It all just happened so fast.

Something instinctly made Kenshin look up. There it was. Just a few more cracks and the heavy twirling lose wood with metal slates would fall. Right onto an unsuspecting Kaoru. He felt as though time had stopped and everything had frozen in place. But time did not stop. And he was moving.

Images flashed before Kenshin's eyes. She would be crushed and killed. Then there will be no more Kaoru. How lonely and empty his life would be. A burst of energy rushed through him as he sped up to his fastest speed as the piece of metal was hanging by it's last splinter from the wood.

When Kaoru turned around to see if anyone was laughing, she saw Kenshin's cocky smiling face end in a face of horror. She began to wonder what he was doing. There he was running as fast as he could towards her. It was so fast. All she saw was a blurr of red heading towards her. She heard a loud crash and felt her body slam against the wall. Kaoru blacked out for a second before she realized what was happening.

Too close. That was way way too close. Kenshin felt his heart beat so loud that it was pounding in his ears, his heart felt like it was ready to jump out of his throat. When he grabbed Kaoru he didn't stop running until he made it outside the gym and the wall stopped him.

It took him a second to realize that his lips were pressed against something soft. He opened his eyes. 'Oh my GOD!' His eyes got even wider. 'I'm kissing Kyung Hee! She's gonna kill me!' He began to think really fast. 'I'll just close my eyes and pretend like I know nothing.'

It took a while but Kaoru finally came back to her senses. She felt something pressed against her entire body. 'Oh my gosh! Kenshin is kissing me, THAT BAKA ACTUALLY DARED TO KISS ME!' She pushed him off of her.

"You pervert!" she spat as she balled her fists up until her knuckles turn white.

Then there was that look on Kenshin's face again. She knew something was wrong. Her hand slowly felt the back of her head. Her long hair was gone, the ribbon was torn and now her new short hair flowed out. The front was still long but the back was severed all the way up to her shoulders. She was in shock.

"How could you do this to me?" she cried out.

Kenshin shrugged his shoulders, "Umm….Victory Kiss?"

'I can't believe I said that!' Too late. Kenshin saw Kaoru turn even angrier. Then he felt a painful slap across his cheek, his whole face redden as he realized he was slapped by a girl. It stun, but he knew he deserved for what he said. He turned his head back just in time to see her run away. Then slowly, he went over to the gym doors to pick up what was left of Kaoru's hair. Tears threaten to surface as he pushes the feeling down as he stroke upon the shiny black hair he was holding.

Kenshin was hurting and it wasn't from the slap. It was a different kind of pain.

Kaoru didn't stop running until she made it home. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. 'That jerk kissed me!' she repeated to herself over and over. 'That was my first kiss too! It was supposed to be for the guy of my dreams. Not a walking nightmare like that baka!'

"Why does Himura Kenshin hate me so much?" she asked herself out loud. "What did I ever do to him?"

Kaoru touched the back of her head. Her hair really is gone.

From that day on, she put up with none of Kenshin's jokes, all she did was glare at him, and give him cold stares. other than wearing a hat to school, nothing changed that much. Well, at least no one could tell except those two. Kenshin shuddered from her glare, each time she looked at him with disgust his heart felt like it was ripped further. Kaoru on the other hand, she despised him even more. She avoided him as much as possible and put as much space between him and her. if there were any trust or feelings of good to begin with, it was broken all that day. That was at first, but changes were apparent…

Five years later.

(an: both 18 for those who don't want to do the math)

During this time changes both happen for Kaoru and Kenshin. She became more distant towards everyone. Everybody assumed it was because of her hair. She was no longer the sociable, bubbly girlie but now she became a silent aggressive jock. She traded in her baby tees, hair bows, skirts, and platforms for sweatshirts, baseball caps, tennis shoes, and baggy jeans. She would hang out with the nerds and jocks and just about anybody except for the popular girls (who are all stuck up). No one dared to mess with her though. She developed a reputation for herself as a fighter when she managed to beat up the biggest girl (bully) in school. Kaoru may be a really small and skinny person but no one could really tell underneath all of her clothes.

Yahiko and Sanosuke stopped teasing Kaoru as time passed too. They've gotten more mature and dated around too. Kaoru still talks to Soujiro but she had stopped calling him Sou-chan.

Ever since that incident, Kenshin knew that she had changed. He had toned down on picking on her but he didn't stop. He knew it was the only way and excuse he had if he wanted to talk to her. When he entered high school, he brought along his popularity and good looks with him. He became every girl's dream guy. Well-built body, red beautiful silky hair, seductive eyes, and a killer smile. He dated every girl that every guy in his school wants to date.

But sadly no matter how many girls he dated, they all mean nothing to him. He was never able to tell Kaoru how he really felt about her so he planned on keeping it silent forever.

"Heads up!"

Kaoru looked up and caught the ball that was aimed towards her.

Kenshin started jumping around and yelling,

"For the honor of football, Kaoru the Busu-She-Man!"

"Go back into the cave where you crawled from bloody Porcupine from hell," she snapped back, referring to his hair. She threw the ball back at him.

'Porcupine? It took me an hour to get my hair like this!' he thought. 'Damn why does her words have to get on my nerves so much. No one else can ever do that!' "Aww…you grouchy because everytime you look at me you know you can only look but can't touch?"

"Puh-lease…If I touch you I might get a disease."

"Poor busu. Gonna die a single, lonely old nun."

She gave him a secretive smile. "Just because I don't date around like you do, doesn't mean anything. And beside….how do you know I'm single?" Kenshin looked at her. 'Is she dating someone I don't know?' He was about to ask but just then Haruka (His latest girlfriend) walked up and interrupted their disses.

"Kenshin!"

She ran up to squeeze him. Kenshin rolled his eyes. 'Damn Haruka. Why did she have to be here? She's so annoying!' But he gave her a smile anyways.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I want you to take a look at my dress!"

It was a tight little black V-neck dress that showed plenty. And Haruka was a little chubby too.

"It's nice."

Kenshin really didn't care anyways. He planned to break up with her soon. Kaoru was watching them the whole time. She rolled her eyes. Haruka caught her watching them. She began to talk to Kaoru in her fake sugary voice.

"I know what you're thinking. But sorry this dress doesn't come in a large."

Kaoru gave her a fake smile. "No but your mouth sure does." (yay, go Kaoru)

Then she walked away. Haruka rolled her eyes behind Kaoru's back. "Whatever."

Kenshin glared at her. He didn't like it when other people made fun of his Kaoru just because she dressed like a guy.

"You didn't have to say that you know."

Haruka stomped her feet. "Why do you always take her side?" she whined.

Kenshin just walked away.

"Ken-sannnnnnnneeeeeee!"

Part 12

Kenshin waited for Kaoru after school but didn't see her so he decided to drop by her house. She wasn't home but her grandpa was.

"Kenshin! Long time no see! Come in."

"Hi Grandpa So. Is Kyung Hee home?"

"No. She told me she's going out with her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? Who is he?" those words blurted out his mouth before he could stop it. He knew even an old grandpa would understand what he means, and what he feels now.

The old Kamiya gave him a little smile. "Kenshin. You're old now. Don't be teasing an old man. You and Kaoru still pretending to hate each other while you both know that you both have a burning attraction."

"Attraction! Hell NO!" He said, even though a blush was plastered to his face.

Okina just smiled. "Okay I'll just play along. She'll be home later. The sooner you meet up with her the sooner you'll see her."

Kenshin smiled and shook his head. Okina always wanted him and Kaoru to be together.

"Okay. Good bye Okina-san."

"Bye Kenshin."

He turned around the corner, he needed something to focus on other and worrying. Deciding to hang over at Sanosuke and kick Yahiko-chan's butt would be fun, he just told himself to check back in a few hours.

8 hours later…

Kenshin banged on the Kamiya's front door. Okina answered it.

"Is Kaoru home?"

Okina yawned. "No. Where is she?"

"I don't know! I wasn't with her."

"It's okay Kenshin. She's a big girl now. She can take care of herself."

"It's late. It's past midnight right now. Aren't you worried? What kind of grandfather are you?"

"Kaoru's been out this late for the past two months. Why are you so worried?"

Keshin blushed, damn that man knows how to make me embarrassed. "I'm not worried."

Okina yawned some more. "You can wait here if you want."

"No. I'll go out and look for her," said Kenshin. Then he left.

Kenshin began to walk down the street. He sat on the curb and waited. Ten minutes later he saw Kaoru walking up the path with a dreamy look on her face. He was so happy to see her but he was also very mad. He ran up to her.

"What is wrong with you? What is a girl like you doing out so late on a school night?"

Kaoru looked at him surprised. "None of your business."

Then she began walking home. He followed her. Kenshin knew he couldn't ask but the thought of Kaoru with another guy was tearing at him inside.

"Well your grandpa was worried."

"I can take care of myself."

They made it home together in silence. Kaoru came home and without any words, closed the door. Kenshin watched her go in and saw the door as a sign. 'She has shut me out of her life forever.'

A/N: I'm dying to decide who her boyfriend will be… teeheehee… maybe I will write that up right now and update next week. so review and encourage me, well jk, i don't like to threaten my readers. kinda sad about getting only 6 reviews on the last chapter. i hoped for a lil more.. sigh... cross my fingers hoping to get more reviews

Once in a while reviewer's reply:

wonderouzstars: thank you. hope this chapter didn't disappoint you.

chibisnowdrops: k, from what i hear of, (only you) i will try to update with more shorter ones, but promise, more often. but beware that means, BWAHAHA more cliffies.

JovianShe-Wolf: thanks, well i updated, from what i know of, i'll update more often

ZeldaFitz: you like enishi? thanks you just gave me an idea (see who says i don't listen to my readers?) lol ok i'll make him more of an important character, hope you don't kill me when i make kenshin a lil better, cuz i love kenshin

crimsonangel865: k i will keep gong.. ;; but bargain, if i keep going, u should keep reviewing

lazy reader: please do sleep, i wouldn't like it if my readers are half dead and too tired to read my story. thanks for likeing my story.

SakuDi: hopefully when i do update soon, reviewers will review soon.

Valaroma: thanks a lot for pointing out the mistakes, i fixed them now...if any more, just tell me.

horsegirl: glad you like it, hope you'll like all my chapters.

nilnil: i'll try to get kaoru to kick Yahiko's butt, if i see it fit in anywhere. and Kenshin will get nicer, and Kaoru, promise she won't always cry like that.

JMai: yes soujiro does kick ass, unfortunally he tripped TT... ;;