Chapter Three
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin! Blah blah blah! Hehe. Peace. I don't also own the song "Stay".
Kaoru's POV
I can't believe I'm doing this!
"Get inside the car," I ordered Kenshin as we finally reached the parking lot. I had a hard time dragging him along because at some point he would struggle to stop me. Along the way, he kept asking me questions that I didn't bother answering. All I know is that if I let this opportunity slip again, I'll be stuck in this pathetic place forever. Using the key, I opened the car door. Still holding his wrist tightly, I pushed him towards the passenger seat in front.
"What are you doing?" He tried to battle against the push but he ended up landing on the seat. His mouth opened.
"Put your feet inside or I will bang the door on your legs," I threatened him. He knew exactly that I am capable of doing it so he obliged.
"Where-"
I banged the door right on his confused face not allowing him to finish his question. He tried to open the door but I interrupted. "Try to get out or…" I told him nervously as I looked around trying to make a very good excuse. Across the parking area, I had a glimpse of people coming out from the reception area. "…or I will make a scene," I stuttered but I made it clear to him that I sound dead serious. Those words made him settle down on his seat. He just gave out a defeated sigh.
I didn't give him any choice but to come with me and settle things. I needed to understand.
Hurriedly, I walked towards the car door just exactly right at the opposite side. I bent down and took the driver's seat. The logical part of my brain just shut down. I didn't care about how he would feel. I didn't care at all.
I switched on the engine. I glared at him for a while as to warn him for the unexpected events that may happen. "Seatbelt," I ordered him once again.
"Kaoru what is happening here? Where are we-" He tried to argue by raising his voice.
"Good thing you still know me. At some point there I thought you have forgotten me. Seatbelt." But I disrupted while fastening my own. Defied, he shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on the seat. He reached for the seatbelt and attached it to the end. With the click of the seatbelt, I breathed in deeply. I outrageously stepped on the accelerator then the car went on a raging sound and rushed out. I drove the car out of the parking lot easily.
Maneuvering the wheel, I overtook the other cars along the busy street. That time, I was being reckless.
"Are you serious?-" Kenshin asked frantically while looking at the cars we surpassed.
"Keep your mouth shut," I answered blandly still driving thoughtless along the narrow streets. If the situation we are into were only different, I would laugh hysterically at his awful look. But we are caught in a situation where emotions are crushed and promises are broken.
His eyes grew big as he saw the stoplight. "Red light Kaoru. Red light!" He held tight on the safety handle right on the top part of the window, panting. He didn't expect that I wouldn't slow down.
I was fully aware of the stop sign but I continued to drive. The cars on both sides of the intersection started to move. Consciously, I stepped on the accelerator and the car whizzed. I could hear every screeching wheel from each of the cars because of their abrupt stop. Before we knew it, we reached the other side of the road.
"Are you trying to kill the both of us!" Kenshin acted hysterically but I didn't mind him. He tightened his grip on the safety handle.
I was nervous too. Adrenaline rushed all over my body. For the first time in my life, I continued to drive on a stop sign. But of course I can't let him see that I was, so instead, I faced him and pretended to smile. "No. Not yet. Not today."
"Oh God, what's happening with you?" he compromised.
I kept quiet. I'm not going to talk about it unless we reach the place.
"Kaoru will you stop acting childish?" He started to be irritated from the way he looked at me. He waited for a respond but to his disappointment, I didn't bother answering back.
Somehow I was enjoying this little time with him. I smiled inwardly. I glanced at him from tie to time and I realized he has really changed a lot. He's still cute though.
Finally, we reached the highway. The red Nissan ahead of us annoyed me so I tried to overtake. I stepped on the accelerator outrageously again and the car sped up. I can see the speedometer move to the right. I was driving at 85 k/ph. I could feel my heart beat faster again and this time, my hands became sweaty.
Oh God, help me.
I almost took over the car ahead of us but suddenly we ended up on a curve. My eyes narrowed as I see a 10-wheeler truck almost in front of us.
"Kaoru slow down-slow down!" To his surprise, he screamed as he saw the large truck running on the opposite direction right in front of us.
I was out of my league.
Suddenly, I had a mental block. Ten seconds and we're going to die.
Ten
Nine
Eight
I closed my eyes as I hear the truck's relentless horn.
Seven
Six
Five
Four
Out of the blue, I felt two hands over mine. He took charge of the wheel. He made a big turn and the car started to wiggle abruptly on the other side. We were both in shock. As the truck passed us, the driver grimed and rudely shouted at how irresponsible my driving was.
Shocked, I pulled off and stopped on the shoulders. As soon as I finished pulling the hand break, I stared blankly at the air with my hands resting on the wheels, panting. I was speechless. I was just humiliated in front of this person.
I didn't have the guts of looking at him so I buried my pale face on my sweaty and shaky hands. I mentally banged my head on the wheels. It's not like as if this is the first time I've been embarrassed in front of Kenshin but it's been a long time. He should be at least having the feeling of regret for leaving me and replacing me for someone I don't want to know.
Suddenly, I felt tears flow out of my eyes. I've put our lives in danger and we've almost died there.
"Kaoru are you okay?" Kenshin's soft voice caressed me as he removed his seatbelt. After hearing the click sound, I felt warm pair of hands on top of mine. He tried to remove my palm from my face but I fought back to keep it in its place.
He felt my tears tracing down my hands. "Shhh… It's alright now…" He tried to calm me down by alternately patting my back and removing my hands from my face. "Shh… Kaoru it's okay…"
How could you make me feel safe?
We stayed that way for a couple of minutes. I felt contented on what's happening and I wished it would stay that way for the rest of my life. If it was a dream, I hope I wouldn't wake up.
He felt that I started to calm down so he spoke. "Kaoru let's go back now. They might be worried about us."
I finally removed the hands that were blocking my face. I had a hard time adapting to the light. That made my eye sight a little blurry for a while. When I regained my normal sight, I looked at him straight to his eyes. Remembering his earlier announcement, I blurted, "I hate you. I hate you for leaving me. I hate you for being so insensitive. I hate you for breaking your promise! I hate you for breaking my heart. I hate you…" I started to cry again. "I hate you…" I slapped him. I punched him. "I hate you…"
He tried to stop me by grasping my hands. I tried hard to hurt him but still, his face was emotionless.
I continued to move uncontrollably. "I hate you… How could you make me believe that you'll come home?" I stuttered in disbelief. "How could you? How could you make me believe that love would conquer all? …I missed you."
My right hand suddenly escaped from his grip. Unaware, I hit him hard on his cheek. He growled in pain as he let go of my other hand and touched his swollen cheek. He didn't talk.
Tired physically and emotionally, I stopped. I breathed hard as I rested my arms on the wheels. I looked far away with my tears still overflowing my eyes. "I can't believe this." I shook my head. "Would you at least say something?" I shouted in frustration.
Minutes passed, I still heard nothing which made more frustrated. I started to say something again but he spoke.
"Things do change Kaoru. That's the only constant in this world. People change." He calmly stated. He tried hard not to show emotions but somehow I can recognize his shaky voice. He didn't look at me.
"Not you Kenshin. Not me." I defended. I recalled the promise we made together. "Wh-What about our promise?'"
"That was before. Even love changes. Time can do many things. We have separate lives now." He replied. He never dared to look at me in the eye. If he would face me, he would stoop or he would look far away.
Every word coming out from his mouth slowly killed my heart.
"When you were there reaching your dreams, I also tried to erase you in my life." He paused for a while. "And I'm successful in doing so."
"I don't believe you Kenshin. You can't even look at me in the eye," I tried to squeeze the truth out of him. "Look at me straight in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me."
Silence passed. "Why can't you say something?" I boldly asked him. "Say something!" I challenged him.
Finally, our eyes locked. It made me really uneasy. "I don't love you anymore Kaoru. I'm getting married to someone else." Then he looked away again. "If you have something you need to know, ask me now so we could leave."
"…Okay. That's it." I ended the conversation while wiping stray tears from my cheeks. My tears didn't stop falling. I almost turned on the car engine but I had to tell him something I just realized. I leaned back again and turned to him. "You know what?" I paused for a moment. "I thought that going after my dreams and letting you go is the biggest mistake I did in my entire life." Thoughtless, I continued. "But I've just realized… That believing in you was the most stupid thing I did."
Hearing my words, he acted as if he didn't care. That assured me that it's all over and I need to move on. For the last time, I wiped away my tears. Then, I turned on the car and drove back to the reception area. No one dared to say a word.
I want you to stay
Never go away from me
Stay forever
Now, Now that you're gone
All I can do is pray for you
To be here beside me again
Why did you have to leave me?
When you said that love would conquer all
Why did you have to leave me?
When you said that dreaming
Was as good as reality
Now I must move on
Trying to forget all the memories
Of you near me
But I can't let go of your love
That has taught me
To hold on
Why did you have to leave me?
When you said that love would conquer all
Why did you have to leave me?
When you said that dreaming
Was as good as reality
On our way, the rain started to pour.
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Author's Notes: wahehehe. Haha. How come I'm writing all these stuffs when I don't even have a boyfriend since birth! The song "Stay" is by Carol Banawa. Filiipinos out there must know her. Hehe. I like her songs.
Guys it's my birthday yesterday and It's just today that I finally had the urge to post this one. Sorry for the late update. College stuffs are really killing me. Hopefully, you'll continue to support me! Weeeeeeeee. Don't worry. KnK forever! Hehe.
Thanks to blooded wyngs, Gypsy-chan, iNfiNiTe MiRroR, sapphireracoongal, hermione, Anonymous but very interested, Sushiluver, KawaiiInuyasha14841, isastar, Silent Tears of Agony, animangacraze, gabyhyatt, Jasmine blossom625, and Lendra-chan for the wonderful reviews.