MY LITTLE PRINCESS
A/N: Hiya all!!! Sorry for not updating sooner cuz my internet connection has been down and aside from that, I'm very busy updating and maintaining my site for the rk fics awards. Please visit it at: and please feel free to nominate for your fave ficcies, ne? Nomination closes on April 26.
To the reviewers: At the bottom as usual
Warnings: Ummm, maybe some OOCs...
Chapter 9. A Gift
(Kaoru and the others-9; Kenshin-19)
(---- New setting)
(----- Flashback)
( --- End of flashback)
"How's this?" Okita asked from above. He was standing on the third stair step of the aluminum construction stair while holding a Christmas wreath.
"A little bit to the left!" Soujiro answered back accompanying it with a hand gesture.
"How are you doing there guys?" Misao asked while she and Kaoru came in from the store room. They were both carrying a box in each of their arms full of Christmas decorations to decorate the 6-feet Christmas three that was set up on the living room.
The four had volunteered to decorate the house for the Christmas season. Hiko simply said yes without any hesitatiion knowing the children could do the job.
"Well, as you can see, it's a work in progress!" Soujiro exclaimed pointing at the red and green wreaths that hung side by side on the hallways' ceiling.
"Oh yeah! You talk too much! Like all you have to do is talk!" Okita broke in planting his hands on his hips carefully so as not to lose his balance.
"Well, you wouldn't know where to put them if I didn't tell you!" Soujiro glared back.
"Now, now! You two, clam down okay." Kaoru stated.
At that, the two cousins looked at the girls with wide smiling lips.
"We're calm!" they both said at once.
Misao sweat dropped at that.
"Saa! Let's make our Christmas tree Misao-chan!" Kaoru invited smiling.
After about a half hour of putting ornaments on the Christmas tree, Misao and Kaoru lay sitting at the tree's edge admiring the assorted round bulbs that illuminated the tree letting out "Ahhs" and "Ohhs" of satisfaction.
"Aren't they beautiful?" Misao commented.
"I think they look like balls of sweet candies..." Okita broke in. The others just looked at him sweat dropping.
Just then, the four heard the door bell ring. "Now who could that be?" Misao asked.
"Well, we'll just have to go see!" Kaoru chirped. "C'mon!"
----
"KAWAIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!" Misao's voice echoed through the whole place her eyes shining in delight.
"Urusei Misao, you'll wake him up." Okita scolded raising his finger to his nose.
"Gomen..." Misao said a bit ashamed; aligning her two index fingers together.
Kaoru let her hands poke through some fabrics. She saw a piece of paper. "Myojin Yahiko..." she silently uttered.
"So, Yahiko is his name...I wonder who could've left the poor boy?..." Soujiro asked as he caressed the small hand of the baby.
The four had found an abandoned baby inside a basket which was left outside the gate of the house. They tried to search the dojo's perimeter hoping that the parent or whoever might have left Yahiko was still around. But unfortunately, there was no one. It was then that they decided to get the baby inside since it was getting cold outside.
"So, what do you plan to do Kaoru-chan?" Misao asked.
Kaoru snorted. "I don't know...Well, I think Uncle will decide about this matter."
"Awww, I think the baby's cute! I've always wanted to have a baby brother!" Misao exclaimed her eyes sparkling again.
"Hey guys, don't you think it's rather late?" Kaoru asked as she saw the clouds getting darker over the horizon through the wide glass window.
"Looks like it." Soujiro answered back.
"I'll tell Uncle's Driver to bring you home, ne?" Kaoru offered as she exited the room.
----
"So, what do you think we'll do with Yahiko Uncle?" Kaoru asked with her forehead crumpled.
Yahiko was sleeping soundlessly on the middle of Kaoru's bed.
"What do you think?" Hiko answered with a question. He stood like a tower near Kaoru's bed.
"Well..." At first Kaoru hesitated. She gulped clearing her throat. Kaoru crept closer to the baby's small body studying his petite features and rosy cheeks. She started to run her finger over Yahiko's head.
"I, I want Yahiko to stay here...i-if it's okay with you Uncle." Her voice was timid and hesitant.
Hiko shrugged his shoulders. He sat down on the bed's edge and stared at Kaoru's protective stature leaning over the baby.
"Is that what you want little child?" His gruff voice asked.
Kaoru looked up at the huge man in front of her. She looked back at the sleeping baby. The baby moaned and his little fingers moved. Kaoru hushed and continued to caress the baby's head gently with her fingers. She looked back at Hiko.
"May I Uncle? May I take care of him?"
"If that's what you want, but we have to settle his papers..."
"Oh Uncle! Thanks you sooo much!!!! You don't know how happy I am!" Kaoru exclaimed cutting him off, but she saw to it that she wouldn't wake up the baby.
Kaoru looked back at the baby lowered her head. "Did you hear that Yahiko-chan? You'll be staying here with Kao-nee?! You'll have a home now and someone to take care of you! When you grow up, I'll teach you to do kendo! And then, and then you'll go to a nice school and have lots of friends! What would you like to be then Yahiko-chan? A lawyer? A doctor?" Kaoru giggled through her thoughts.
Hiko couldn't help but smile inwardly. How he remembered when Kaoru was born. Kenshin was as excited and protective as Kaoru was now.
Kaoru! What a very nice name! I guess it really suits you, ne Kaoru-dono? You know what? When you grow up, I'll be the one to take care of you! I'll be the best brother there is! What do you want to be? A lawyer? A doctor? An actress perhaps? You'll be the most beautiful girl on screen! And why not!? I'll teach you how to do kendo! I can do that ne, Uncle Hiko? Ne?
Kenshin was orphaned at a young age. Since then Hiko took him in. Kenshin never cried or asked anything when his parents died from the accident. He just stood at one corner looking like he was in a deep slumber. After that, Hiko introduced swordsmanship to him at the dojo of his childhood friend, Kamiya, whose wife at that time was pregnant with Kaoru. They had been very close. All of them. But then that fateful day came, Kaoru's mother died of blood cancer leaving a young Kaoru without a mother. And not too long after that, his friend also passed away because of tuberculosis. Both him and Kenshin made a vow to take care of Kaoru in the name of her father. And Hiko was determined to do so.
"Uncle? Are you okay?" Kaoru asked her eyes furrowing. Hiko snapped out of his reverie.
"What was that you were saying?"
Kaoru chuckled. "Oh, Uncle! I think you really need dinner. I asked if you wanted to have some dinner already."
"Sure, of course. I'll tell Kamatari to call up at the Akabeko to get us some nice dinner...Well, you know, we need to have some celebration." Hiko coolly retorted. He was about to stand up but then he remembered something. "And yes, before I forget, you prepare yourself tomorrow because we need to buy the baby some supplies."
Kaoru smiled widely and nodded vigorously.
Hiko shrugged his shoulders and left the room. You now have two children to take care of Hiko Seijuuro...Be sure to give them the best you can...
----
Kaoru and Yahiko were in the living room. She spread a comforter on the floor and carefully laid the baby down on a mattress and a small pillow. At his sides were long rod shaped pillows. She smiled down at him and then she adjusted the room's heater to make the baby more comfortable. She finally laid down propping her elbow to support her upper body. It had been almost a week since Yahiko was in the dojo.
"We're going to have you legally adopted tomorrow baby Yahiko!" Kaoru said joyously, as she carefully inserted the milk bottle's nipple onto his mouth. He started to drink from it slowly.
Just then the phone rang. Kaoru sighed. She picked up a couple of towelettes and rolled them underneath the bottle to support it. She got up and answered the phone.
"Hello?" she asked.
"Kaoru-hime!"
Kaoru realized who was on the other line.
"Ken-nii! Genki desu?!" she exclaimed happily.
"I'm okay here princess. I'm studying for my english class. How about you? Uncle? And the baby?"
"Oh, we're okay...but wait, how'd you know about Yahiko?" Kaoru asked puzzled.
"So Yahiko is his name. Uncle told me about it and how you found him. He said you'll have a court hearing tomorrow, is that right?."
"Well, yeah. I'm with the baby right now. I'm feeding him milk! Mou Ken-nii! I wish you were here! The baby is really cute! I wish you could see him!" Kaoru said as she looked at the baby.
"I do hope to see soon, hime, I do hope so."
"Ne, Ken-nii, when will you be back here?" Kaoru asked pursing her lips.
"Very soon, my dear. Don't worry, Ken-nii promises to be back very soon."
"Well, owkhay..." Kaoru glimpsed at Yahiko and saw that the bottle fell down to his side. "Ken-nii, I got to go now, the baby needs to be fed."
"Okay. Seems like you became a big sister already my princess?" Kenshin asked chuckling.
"I am Ken-nii! And I'm the best around too!" Kaoru bragged. Kenshin gave another chuckle.
"Yes, I can see that. So, goodbye for now princess, okay?"
"Okay, bye! Kiwotsukete Ken-nii!"
As Kenshin said his last words, Kaoru returned the handset to its counter and returned quickly to fix the bottle for Yahiko.
----
(Back in America)
As Kenshin replaced the phone, Kaoru's words echoed in his mind. I am. And I'm the best around too! He smiled. He remembered himself saying those same words to Mr. Kamiya years ago when Kaoru was a newborn.
-----
"Looks like you're a big brother now Kenshin." Mr. Kamiya said smiling at Kenshin, who was laying beside a sleeping Kaoru.
"I am sir! And I'm the best around!" He swanked.
Mr. Kamiya laughed. "Well, I guess little Kaoru will be very lucky to have you as a big brother."
---
Kenshin sighed again. He took out something from under his shirt. It was the locket. He opened it and saw Kaoru's picture on the other side, and their picture on the other panel. A smile crept upon his lips and he closed the locket. Kenshin looked outside the window of his apartment. An airplane's beacon caught his sight.
One of these days, I'll go back home and make everyone proud...Especially Kaoru-hime... He smiled at the thought and then resumed reading the text on agreement of subject and verbs. He had merely two months of practice and study.
----
Hiko, who was in a formal Americana, stood up as the judge told him to do so.
Finally, after reading a few lines on a paper the judge was holding, he gave it to the reader.
"As you have presented in this court, you Seijuuro Hikosei are of legal age, have a stable job and financial background, and have a record of good moral conduct, and are pleading to adopt a baby named Myojin Yahiko, who was found around the premises of your area. This court found out that you have eligibility to adopt the said child and as you have requested, the child will retain his original last name, Myojin, as approved by attending judge, Katsura Kogoro."
At that, the judge hit his gobble and sounds of claps and congratulations filled the court coming from Misao, Soujiro, Okita, Dr. Genzai, Kamatari, Tae and some of the jury and onlookers.
"Did you hear that Yahiko-chan!? You now have a permanent home!" Kaoru cheered as she toyed with Yahiko's cheek who was in Tae's arms.
"Omedetou Kaoru-chan!" Misao chirped hugging Kaoru.
"Omedetou Yahiko-chan!" Okita and Soujiro both said smiling wide in front of Yahiko.
----
Kaoru and Yahiko were both in the living room again. Yahiko was sleeping silently and was wrapped in an extra thick blanket since winter had been picking up already.
Kaoru wore a pink sweatshirt that reached past her thighs, with white stockings on them. She felt sleepy too. She looked at the clock. It was 15:00 o'clock. Just then, the phone rang. Slowly getting up, she picked up the phone.
"Hello???" she weakly asked.
"Kaoru-hime? Is that you? I'm sorry, were you sleeping? You sound like you were."
"Oh, Ken-nii, it's okay. I was just about to do so. But I'm glad you called! Yahiko is finally a part of the family! Isn't that great!!!?" Kaoru broke the news excitedly.
"Yes, that is great. And I know you'll be taking good care of him, right?"
"Yes I will! The same way you took care of me! I'll make sure he'll be safe, happy, comfortable and I'll see to it that I'll always be around for him when he needs me!" Kaoru said merrily.
There was silence for a minute.
"Ken-nii, are you still there?" Kaoru asked worriedly.
"Y-yes, I'm here. Well, I got to say good bye for now. I just wanted to check up on you cause I know Uncle's not around right now."
"Mou, you worry too much Ken-nii. Besides, Kamatari-san is here, so there's no problem!"
"Okay, if you say so, but be sure to take care okay?"
"Okay! You too Ken-nii! Ja!"
"Bye, bye princess."
----
(Back in America)
As Kenshin brought the telephone down, his insides ached. Didn't he promise the same thing to Kaoru? Then, the thought hit him. He started to ponder on if studying in America was such a good idea... Yes? No? Maybe? He didn't know...He was at a loss for an answer. It was just now that he started to think about how Kaoru dealt with the matter. At first, he didn't want to think about it. But now, the matter bit at him. But he couldn't turn back now. He had to just wait for the time when he'd be able to return back home and look after his princess...
Tsuzuko
----
A/N: Hewwwooow! How's that minna? I'm sorry if there's not too much kk here. Sessha promises the chapter after the next chappie will have kk in it, ne? Owkhay!!!
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