Disclaimer: i don't own rk

i spent a while debating who i should make kaoru be with, but readers tiped my struggle. who said i don't listen to my readers?

Chapter four:
Dilemma Sparks Romance

A couple more weeks had pass. With Kenshin's popularity, he used everyone he could to find out who Koaru was dating. But it was no use. No one was able to find out. He broke up with Haruka and she knew it was because of Kaoru too. She was mad but wasn't able to do anything to her because she was threatened by Battousai. Also she was afraid of Kaoru, the girl who no longer was weak. Not knowing who Kaoru was dating was bothering Kenshin so much he couldn't sleep. There was only one thing left for him to do. Spy on her…

It was 11 p.m. Kaoru had left her house and took a taxi. Kenshin began to follow her silently in his car. It took twenty minutes but then he saw her get off at a park. He parked his car away from her view and got out of his car. He snuck up to a bush nearby and watched her. Then he saw her run up to a strange guy he has never seen before. 'I wonder who he is.' Then Kenshin began to analyze her. 'Figured she wouldn't dress up. Not even for a date.'

"Miss Tomboy." He whispered.

"Enishi-kun honey!"

Kaoru ran up to hug her boyfriend.

"I miss you. I also have something to tell you."

"I miss you too."

He held her. He tried to stroke her hair but like always, it was tucked inside that stupid baseball cap. Kaoru looked at him. He didn't seem too happy to see her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Enishi nodded and told her to sit down. He held both of her hands.

"Is there something you want to say Kaoru-ni?"

"You go first Enishi-kun."

"It's us. I don't think it's working out."

"Why?"

"Well…we're not compatible."

"What do you mean? We like the same things."

Enishi gave an exasperated sigh. "We like the same things that guy buddies should like. Not like couples. I thought I'd get over it but you're really not attractive."

(A/N fans, don't kill me, I didn't want to make Enishi this cold, but I decided Enishi is the best)

"What!" she asked in surprise.

"I mean look at you Kaoru-ni. I mean sure you're pretty, I think. But I can't tell from your hat covering half your face. I don't even know how long your hair is! And you dress like a guy!" and he continued listing her bad qualities….

Kenshin looked at Kaoru from where he was sitting. He could tell she was trying her best not to cry. Her feelings weren't hurt but her pride was. 'Enishi…hmm…he looks and sounds familiar…' he thought. Sung Hoon chewed on his lip for a while and then it hit him. 'He's that stupid kid that locked me in the refrigerator!'

He felt anger rising inside him as he looked at Enishi. As he was listening, he began to realize Enishi was putting her down as he was breaking up with her. 'Don't you dare hurt Kaoru like that.' Kenshin came out from where he hid.

"You understand don't you Kyung Hee?"

Enishi looked at her. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was about to answer but then her eyes widened when she saw Kenshin walking up to them. 'Oh no! He's going to make fun of me because I just got dumped.'

"Honey!"

Kenshin ran up to Kaoru and hugged her hard. Then he spun her around.

"Gosh I miss you!"

"Huh? Who are you calling hon—"

Kenshin got her in a head lock and closed her mouth just in time. He looked over at Enishi who was looking at them both in shock. "Who the hell are you?" asked Kenshin.

"I'm Yukishiro Enishi. And who are you? Why are you calling my girlfriend honey?"

"I'm Himura Kenshin and you got it wrong pal. aoru-dono is my girlfriend."

Kaoru looked at Kenshin. 'What is he doing?' Then she realized she was still in a head lock.

"Let go! Your armpit smells!"

Kenshin twisted her away and whispered, "You want me to help you from being embarrassed or not?" She nodded her head. "Then stop dissing me!"

Then turned them both around to face Enishi. He gave Einshi his famous smile. "Oh so you're the guy Kaoru-dono tells me that's a lousy kisser."

Just to prove his point, Kenshin bent over to kiss Kyung Hee. The kiss came out awkward and he ended up kissing her nose instead.

Enishi just stood there and gave them both cold glares. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about but I just dumped Kaoru so you can have her."

Kenshin let out a loud fake laugh, but inside he was a blazing fire. How dare he talk about my Kaoru like that. He faced Kaoru. "Honey you're so sweet. You didn't want this loser to feel bad so you let him think that he's dumping you."

'Thank you,' she thought silently. She smiled and nodded. "I had to dear."

Enishi looked at them in disgust. "Hope you two are very happy together!" Then he left.

Kaoru sat down on the bench with her head in her hads. 'God…I hope she's not gonna cry,' prayed Kenshin as he sat down next to her.

"Go ahead and laugh."

"Huh?"

"I know you want to. Now is the perfect time to make fun of me."

Kenshin wanted so bad to put his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulders.

"Naww…not in the mood tonight. I'll save it for some other time."
Then suddenly Kaoru began to cry.

"You're not crying over that jerk are you?"

"Why do you care?" she yelled at him.

"I…I don't care except I think you're wasting your tears."

Kenshin felt his heart breaking as he saw each tear rolling down her smooth white translucent skin. 'He's not worth it,' he thought but he kept those words to himself. 'She'll never cry over me.'

"No. I'm not crying over him."

"Yeah right."

"No really. I'm not."

"Then why are you crying?"

He felt a bubble of hope rise inside him. Kaoru let out a sigh. "My parents are going to come visit me tomorrow and they want to meet my boyfriend." Kenshin looked at her.

"So…what are you gonna do now that Mr. Wonderful is gone?"

"I don't know. Gosh I'm such a loser."

'Ok, make fun of her later, must not insult her.' Kenshin let out a fake sigh. "Well…I can pretend that I'm your boyfriend."

Kaoru looked at him surprised. "You'll help me?" 'Maybe Kenshin isn't so bad after all. I guess he can be really sweet sometimes.' Just looking into Kaoru's big warm pool of sapphire eyes wanted to make him tell her all of his feelings. But he couldn't.

"Yeah. It's Be Kind To Geek Week." Damn, that didn't turn out right.

Kaoru stood up. "I don't need your help you conceited snob! I'll just ask Seijiro-san!"

Then she ran off. "Damn!" Kenshin cursed himself. "Why did I have to say that?" he asked himself. But he received no answer.

Tomorrow, and it rolled around.

Ding dong

"Mommy! Daddy!"

"Kaoru-chan!"

Kaoru hugged her parents as they came inside the house. "We miss you so much." "I miss you too." Then Okina came out and they all had tea while they talked. After a while the subject of her boyfriend came up. Her mother asked her,

"So Kaoru dear, where is that boyfriend you have always been talking about?"

"Uh..."

Kaoru glanced at the clock. It was 7:30. 'Damn Seijiro is half an hour late! Seijiro, why aren't you here yet?' It seemed to be an answer because just then the front door bell rang. She jumped up and ran for the door.

"I'll get it! It must be him."

She opened the door. "I'm so glad you're here—" but she was cut off by her scream. It was not Seijiro's warm smile but that-that-that THING Himura Kenshin. He was holding flowers and he leaned over to hug her.

"I miss you too honey!" he said really loud for everyone to hear. Kaoru blocked the door but he made it inside her house anyways.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya. Hello Grandpa Okina. I've heard so much about you from Kaoru. My name is Himura Kenshin."

He shook hands with all of Kaoru's parents giving each of them a polite small bow. The parents nodded their heads in approval. The grandpa just smiled. He knew what was going on. He didn't say anything because his wish for Kaoru to be with Himura is going to come true.

"So you must be the boyfriend Kaoru is always talking about."

"I think so. Kaoru is the best thing that ever happened to me. I can see she got all her good qualities from her family."

Kaoru rolled her eyes while she listened to Kenshin's political speech. 'He must be the world's best liar!' But her parents were pleased. They like Kenshin, but then her mother asked, "Do you know the young boy who lives next door?"

'Oh no,' thought Kaoru.

Sung Hoon raised an eyebrow. "Umm...kinda. Why Mrs. Kamiya?"

"Kaoru mentions that boy too. She said he was an annoying pest but we haven't gotten the chance to meet him yet. So I just want to see if you know him too."

'Annoying pest?' he thought. 'I'll let that one slide.' "I do know him Mrs. Kamiya-san but he's not an annoying pest. It's just that a long time ago...Kaoru wanted to date him but she could NOT so she has a grudge against him." Kaoru opened her mouth but quickly shut it. She needed Kenshin's help so she couldn't say anything. Her mother asked, "Is that true dear?"

Kaoru gritted her teeth. "Yes it is mommy."

Kenshin smiled. They sat down and talked. Hours past and it was getting late and he had to go home.

"Well it was a pleasure meeting you Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya. Good night."

"Good night Kenshin."

"I'll walk him home," said Kaoru quickly added in with a quick smile O he is so going to get it.

Just as they got out the door Kaoru slammed Kenshin against the wall, but being completely unaware and vulenerable his head snapped back to only be hit against the brick wall. His eyes slightly opened a little in shock before his eyes rolled over passing out into her arms that were gripping his arms. O no, why does he have to pass out.

Her mind was wheeling away while she struggled to hold onto Kenshin. When Kaoru finally snapped back into reality she tried to pull him into her front yard. She dropped to her knees in the grass and pressed her ear on his chest as she felt it rise up and down. breathing out with a breath of relief, at least he was alive. Sitting next to the redhead she thought about what happened in the house with her parents just a few minutes ago, why didn't Seijiro show up?

"Oro, where am I?"

"That's my question. What the hell are you doing here? Where is Seijiro?"

Kenshin smiled and said, "Is this how you treat your boyfriend?"

"Answer me!"

"Seijiro couldn't make it so I decided to help him out. Ow your brick wall is hard." As his hand reach to the back of his head gently touching the newly formed bump on his head.

"Oh no. My parents are staying for two weeks! Seijiro can't pretend to be my boyfriend then."

Kenshin gave out a sigh. "Well, I guess I'll torture myself for a few weeks and pretend to be your boyfriend." Kaoru looked at him suspiciously. "How do I know you didn't do anything to Seijiro to take his place?"

Kenshin was stunned. He hadn't thought about Kaoru thinking that. Truth was, he had to basically beg Seijiro to let him take his place. But Kenshin played it smoothly.

"Yeah right. Look at you Kaoru. Only an idiot would date you. What makes you think that I would do this if it wasn't for a buddy?"

Kaoru looked at him with doubt. But then he continued talking. "Besides, this means you have to be nice to me or your parents will find out the truth." It seemed like blackmail to her.

"Oh I'll be nice to you alright," she said as she raised her fist.

Before she could strike down he pulled her forward by her waist as she clummsly toppled on top of him. Kenshin was slightly shocked as her slim figure and curves were painfully obvious to him. She struggled to get out of his hold. Finally Kaoru got up, followed by a grunting Kenshin. "How dare you do that?" She raised a hand to slap him just as her dad opened the door and she dropped her hand immediately.

"That's so cute. You don't want to say goodbye to Kenshin? Stay out with him then. It's just ten but be home by midnight. There's school tomorrow."

"Thanks Mr. Kamiya," said Kenshin and he pulled Kaoru away before she could answer. "I'll have her back by midnight." He took her hand and led her to the park.

"Oh you owe me for slamming me into the wall like that." He glared at Kaoru.

"It's your own fault, who told you to come over? It's not like I invited you. Plus you hit me all those time before, and you don't care." She shot back.

Ok so I deserved that, plus I did hurt her quite a bit before. "Okay. Here are the rules if you want me to be your boyfriend."

"Rules? Puh-leaze! I don't want to date you!"

"Oh yeah? Tell that to your parents then."

That made Kaoru shut up. She listened as Kenshin went on.

"First of all, I have good taste. My girlfriends will be wearing dresses and smell good. And you look like a guy! And you smell-" He took a whiff of her. "Eww! You smell like a guy too!"

Kaoru took a smell herself. "Do not!"

"Do too! Second rule. When we kiss you have to promise to let go because I know you can't help yourself and you'll end up gluing yourself to me." he said as his cocky grin spread on his face.

She gave him a disgusted look. "Gross! That's my rule! No kissing!"

Kenshin cocked an eyebrow. "Won't it look weird if you never kiss your boyfriend?"

Kaoru shuddered form the thought of kissing Kenshin. "The things I do just to please my parents.

"Hey I'm the one who's sacrificing. Now I have to go two weeks without dating any girl. I'm supposed to be with a beauty and not a beast."

Kaoru sighed. "Alright. Then go ahead. Kiss me."

"What!" for sure he thought it was a dream.

"You heard me. Remember when you kissed me in front of Enishi? You were aiming for my mouth weren't you? But you missed and hit my nose. I guess we have to practice."

Kenshin swallowed. He always imagined what it would be like to kiss her but he didn't really think he was going to have that chance.

"Well at least take off your cap so I know I'm kissing a girl." Kaoru took her cap off. Long strands of hair fell down past her shoulders and down her back. Kenshin ran his hand through her hair.

"Hey your hair grew back!"

"Yeah."

"Why do you always keep it up in a cap then?"

"Oh I don't know. May be because I have a fear that a psycho would chop it off."

Kenshin pulled his hand away. "Look it was an accident. Besides, it was five years ago. Can't you forget and move on already?"

"How would you feel if I cut your hair?"

"It's different because my hair is nice while yours is nappy," he said.

"Oh yeah? Could have fooled me. I thought your hair was a dead animal with all those spikes."

"So are we gonna kiss or not?" he asked.

Kaoru sighed. "If you only would stop making fun of me."

"Okay I guess I'll stop for now, the pain of being your boyfriend."

Then she slowly closed her eyes. Kenshin looked at her. Her innocent face reminded him of all the good times they had together. Her beautiful skin was lavished even more by the moon light. Her hair for one was let down as it was so silkly black it seemed even mataliclly blue shinning under the moon. Rose bud mouth were pumped full and soft paired with a small nose to fit her features. Then there was her eyelashes, thick and lushful. This was a dream for him, nightmare for her. But there she was standing very close to him. Eyes closed, her long hair swaying. Then he dived in to kiss her, closing his mouth on hers. And there it was, magic and fireworks.

It was a feeling he couldn't describe. He never felt this way when he kissed a girl before. Kaoru's hand naturally raised up and pressed against his chest, and the other one slowly wrapped around Kenshin's neck. His tongue intruded in her mouth, he was afraid she would stop him, but she did not, in fact she did the exact opposite. Both her hands went up and pulled him closer to her as she tangoed with his tongue. His hands found her waist as he pulled her forward to her, crushing her to him as he heard Kaoru let out a small moan. He continued to taste her, feeling her curves fitting into his lean body perfectly.

'Hmm...I never felt like this when I kiss Enishi. I could kiss Kenshin forever. Wait a minute...what the hell am I thinking?' Kaoru broke the kiss off. "Okay that's enough practice." She put her cap back on because she knew her face was turning red. Kenshin was kind of disappointed that it had to end so soon.

"Uh, yeah. Come on Kaoru. I'll walk you home."

(a/n I decided to add more details to the romance I hope it's ok. So how is this chapter? And yes Kaoru HAD short hair which she kept in a cap until now.)

Next chappie: Kaoru, from tomboy to prom queen. Enishi isn't going to let go so easily. In fact he plans to lead her away.

disappointed i ended their stuff at a kiss? tee hee hee... ;;