Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Thank you all reviewers very much! Ur reviews encouraged me to write!

To those who are wondering why Saitou seems like a nice guy here:

Haha, Saitou is not a nice guy here, u will figure this out later. He is not a bad guy either…

If you think that Saitou is out of character, well, I apologise. But, the manga and anime had never explore Saitou's sensitive or romantic side so I figure I had to make up my own.

Healing by KatsunoCZ

Chapter 4

"So what do you think of my daughter?" Koishijiro asked .

Enishi smiled. "I'm in love with her."

Koishijiro laughed, "Don't rush into things just yet, she does not know of the engagement."

"Don't worry, I will be patient."

Koishijiro nodded. "In the mean time, just try to get close to her."

"Okay."

Kaoru was finding the lesson extremely boring. She didn't remember medical lessons to be so boring before, or was it because she was opened to a new world of arts by Amakusa Shougo? For the past few days, she had been spending time with him in the studio after her classes. It was the first time she was taught in art. In the past, she taught herself without fresh ideas, opinions or guidance. Painting together with Shougo taught her how she could put more distinct emotions into her drawing. What he experienced, he would tell her about it. She had never felt more warm in the heart. After class today, she'll be visiting him again.

So there she was daydreaming off with her arts and Amakusa Shougo when Professor Suzukaze called her.

"Kaoru!"

Kaoru snapped back to the lesson. "Yes?"

Professor Suzukaze pointed at the picture projected by the OHP. In the picture was a old man who has really bad swollen knees and ankles, there were also lesions on the soles of feet.

The professor turned back to her, a smug expression on his face, she knew she was not paying attention. "For the past ten minutes, we've been discussing about this picture. And you weren't listening." He smiled. "The swelling is caused by arthritis. Combined with the lesions and the conjunctivitis. I'm sure you know what the diagnosis is, since you assumed that you don't need to pay attention in class…"

Kaoru stared hard at the picture, "Well, it could be …"

"Could be what Ms.Kamiya?"

Kaoru focused, there was no way she was going to look bad infront of her jerk professor who reports everything to her father.

She looked at Professor Suzukaze in the eye and spoke clearly. "It's Reiter's syndrome. The cause is unknown. It's usually accompanied by low grade fever."

Professor Suzukaze looked taken aback. He had not expect her to know diagnosis… "That's right. But what is the prognosis?" She surely couldn't know this one, he had not yet mention it to the class.

"The prognosis is unclear. It can be treated with anti-flammation drugs."

The professor was even more surprised by now. He had mot expected her to know the answer to that as well. It was true that her grades of her first seven years at medical school in the US was excellent, but he had never expected anyone to answer this question so accurately. She was unflinching when she answered him, as if she knew from the very beginning that she was correct.

"That's right," he finally managed to say. "We're done for today."

Students begun to go out of the theatre. When Kaoru walked past Professor Suzukaze, he called to her, "Ms.Kamiya , could you stay for a moment?"

Kaoru smiled. Hell no, like as if I am going to hear more acid words from you…"Sorry sir, I am am a rush today."

Before he could reply, Kaoru walked out.

"If you don't take art, what courses are you taking?" Shougo asked.

"Medical courses…" Kaoru replied.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you take up medical courses when you enjoy art so much?"

"Ermm…"

"Well?"

"Ermm…well…I am not so sure myself."

"Not sure?"

Kaoru nodded dully.

Then, they were silent once again, both of them continuing with their art work. Suddenly, Shougo put down his brush. He turned to Kaoru, "What do you want in life, Kaoru?"

Kaoru looked at him, surprised and confused. What did she want in life? That question seemed so alien and unusual to her. She did not know how to answer Shougo. All her life, her father had planned everything for her, she had never thought about what she might want in life. His question made her ask herself why she had not fought for what she wanted instead of following whatever her father had planned. And she was already bloody 24 yrs old. What does she want in life? She doesn't even know herself!

"You don't know…" Shougo said softly, looking over at her with a queer expression. Like as if he could see through her and understand how she was feeling right then.

Kaoru nodded. "Yes, I do not know…"

"It's all right. You'll know eventually, but think about it carefully."

Kaoru nodded again. This was what she like about Amakusa Shougo. He was quiet, stern man, there was nothing very fancy about the way he carried himself. He was caring and understanding in his own gentle ways. He may be blunt and straight forward in the way he speaks but Kaoru liked that about him. He had been making her realized a lot of things the past few days when she sat with him in his studio, sipping coffee and painting. She enjoyed spending time with him, she felt that she could relax when she was with him. Then, she remembered the coat which belonged to a certain Hajime Saitou, she had not return the coat to him yet. It was washed and neatly folded, tucked into a paper bag.

"Shougo?"

"Hmm…"

"Do you know someone named Hajime Saitou?"

Shougo turned. "Why?"

"He was here a few days ago….I met him outside at the entrance…he lent me his coat, I have not return it to him yet…"

"Hajime Saitou…"

"Yes."

"I know him."

"Really?! Could you please tell me where he is so I can return his coat to him…"

"Oh…" Amakusa Shougo thought about it for a while.

"I'm going to visit him later on, would you like to come along?"

Her father had wanted her to go to his hospital again…to discuss something…God knows what! Kaoru made up her mind. "Sure."

Shougo smiled. Kaoru gasped. It was the first time she had seen him smile!

Shougo looked confused. "What's wrong?"

Kaoru started laughing. "No, nothing is wrong…it's just that it's the first time I've seen you smile!"

Shougo looked even more confused than ever. He turned back to his painting and said simply, "Let's go at around 5:30…"

Kaoru smiled again. He was so adorable! "Okay!"

Enishi glanced at his watch again. It was almost 5:00, Kaoru should be here soon. What could he do to get closer to her? She seemed very friendly and open, so much more approachable compared to her father. Which made things harder…he need to impress her.

"Come on, let's go." Shougo said. Kaoru nodded and begun to pack her things.

"Is it far from here, where Hajime-san is?"

"Nope, you can cycle there, I'll walk and lead the way."

"Okay."

On their way to see Saitou:

"What does Hajime-san do?"

"He's a lawyer."

"Oh. How did you know him?"

"We are best friends since we were in University."

"Oh…"

His secretary walked in again. He growled, "I thought I told you that I don't want to be disturbed."

His secretary shrank back in fear and replied timidly, "But sir, there is a man named Amakusa Shougo and a young lady waiting for you outside."

Shougo? His best friend was not the type who would look for him first. It just wasn't like him at all. And a lady? With him?… Whatever it is..he did not have time for them…

He nodded to his secretary, "Send them in."

The door opened again and Shougo walked in. His hair in disarrayed and Sitou noticed that he was smiling slightly for a change. Behind him was a raven-haired woman, who looked more like a small girl in an adult body. He narrowed his eyes, it was the same girl who had crashed into him a few days ago. Kaoru…

He changed his mind of sending them away.

Shougo just looked at him, "Hello."

Kaoru stepped forward to him at his table and smiled gratefully. "Thank you very much for your coat." She handed him a paper bag, his coat neatly folded in it.

Saitou took it wordlessly. He did not know how to respond. He was not used to someone like Kaoru. Her cheerfulness and gentleness…and her childish innocence. And her lack of fear and shyness was another thing he had noticed.

"This is the Kaoru who drew my portrait." Shougo said.

Saitou gazed at Kaoru. She was wearing a simple long white dress, and a large brown sling bag hung from her shoulders. She smiled prettily at him.

"Ah…so this is the Kaoru…"

Kaoru continued to smile. Shougo smiled too. Everything seemed brighter with her around.

Kaoru went home happily. Hajime-san, Shougo and her had talked about art and got to know more about each other. She liked them both very much, she no longer felt as lonely as when she had just arrived in Japan. She did not meet up with Misao much these days. Misao was very busy with her studies and Kaoru understands that.

Just when she arrived at the apartment, she realized she had forgotten to call her father to tell him that she couldn't go to his hospital today. He should probably be sitting in the living room right now, waiting to lash at her.

She groaned. She wished that she could rent an apartment. So she could live her own life, without her father always breathing down her neck.

She twist the lock, and as she had expected, her father was there waiting. Hell no, she was so not going to listen to him. She does not need any of this.

"Where were you?"

"Somewhere."

"Oh! You think it is funny do you?"

"Indeed I do."

"Well, I can't see how it can be amusing in any way at all, many doctors were present at the meeting. Doctors I would like you to meet. Medical things we've discussed are actually important…and you weren't there! Doctor Yukishiro was expecting you as well…"

"I thought I met all the DOCTORS already?! And what about Dr. Yukishiro? What about him is so damn important?"

Her father looked furious. " His is your fiancé, for Christ's sake! That is why he is so damn important!"

Kaoru stared at him, her mind blank. Nothing she was hearing was making sense to her. Yukishiro Enishi, her fiancé? What was happening? She was outraged. Her father had gone behind her back and planned her marriage as well! Damn him!

She finally found her voice, "My fiancé? What are you talking about?"

Her father kept quiet and just continued to look at her. Kaoru stared hard at him, "What are you talking about?"

Koishijiro shrugged and said, "Dr. Yukishiro Enishi is your fiancé."

"And when was this decided?"

"A month ago before you came back to Japan."

"And you didn't even care to tell me about it? Like you said, it's my goddamn fiancé!"

"I'm telling you now!"

"Oh! 'I'm telling you now!', is that all you can come up with? In case you don't know, it's a modern world and arranged marriages don't work. At least not with me!"

Kaoru breathed in deeply, struggling to hold back her tears. She ran to the door.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Away from here!"

Kaoru ran out and slammed the door behind her.

Saitou took out the coat from the paper bag. It was folded very neatly. He put the fabric against his face and breathed in deeply. The coat smelled refreshingly sweet…like flowers…she had washed it…

Kaoru walked to a nearby park, she just want to be alone. She let her tears fall freely, she did not need to hold them back now. The thunder and lighting danced across the sky simultaneously and she looked up…rain was beginning to fall. Big pearly drops fall on her face, washing her tears away. She stood up and put her hands into the air, welcoming the rain, embracing the cold.

Suddenly, an acute pain shot through her head and her legs wobbled and her eyes could not focus…then, she saw nothing else…

Okay!!!! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! PLS REVIEW!!!!!!! The more reviews the faster I type! )

KatsunoCZ