Wassup y'all! Got another chappy for yeh. I have to apologize it is quite short, but I like having my chappies end at particular points. I also have to warn you, I found this chapter spectacularly hard to write, cuz I'm never too happy with my dramatic scenes (I'm a comedy and action girl at heart). I've had to revise it many times and I'm still not one-hundred percent satisfied with it, but I'm afraid I'm drawing this fic out way longer than I had anticipated and figured it's time I stop being too critical and just release the stupid thing.

Oh yes, and before I forget, for those of you who reviewed my last chapter and commented on Megumi:

Thanks for all of them! Although one seemed to be missing my point (haha, if they don't get it, I'm not going to explain it :P), I appreciated them all. Okay, enough yapping on my part. On with the chappy!-Jack

In a clearing stood a majestically tall cherry tree.

Dumbstruck by the sight, Kaoru stopped in her tracks.

In full bloom, tiny pink flowers burdened each branch in fluffy mounds. So heavy were the limbs of the tree that some drooped under the load to form feathery canopies. Delicate petals fell from their high perches to be carried away in swirling arcs on the warm currents of air.

Kaoru reached out a shaky hand and caught one of the floating petals. She gazed at it closely before whispering in disbelief, "Cherry blossoms? But how…?" She took a couple slow tentative steps forward. "The cherry blossom season is well past over. Why is this one—?"

"I guess this particular tree decided to bloom late this year," Kenshin said at the back of her. "This area gets so little light; I suppose it wouldn't be a surprise that the plants here are a season late."

Her eyes still wandering in awe all around the beautiful tree, Kaoru asked in amazement, "How in the world did you find this place?"

"Um…luck?" he answered unconvincingly.

Kaoru let the topic go, captivated by the dancing petals and the flawless flowers glowing in the dimness. In all her life she couldn't remember seeing a cherry tree so tall or overloaded with flowers as this one was. She wandered over to the foot of the magnificent tree and sat underneath. Letting her head rest upon the bark of the trunk, she stared up at the blossoms falling like snow in the soft summer breeze. The girl sighed with content; for the moment all her troubles were forgotten.

Kenshin knelt and sat down next to her. "It's nice, yes?" he inquired placidly.

"It's more than nice, it's…amazing," she breathed, still watching the branches above.

Suddenly remembering his presence, she snapped out of her reverie and twisted her head to look at him. "Why are you doing all this for me?" Does he…? she thought with a little hope.

"'Why'?" He seemed surprised. "To help you take your mind off things, of course. Don't you remember?"

Her eyes widened and she was about to exclaim in offense when she quickly caught herself. "Oh…oh right," she said, recalling all that had happened earlier that the sight of the cherry blossoms had made her forget. Again, the feeling of unhappiness began to weave its way into her mind.

Why do I keep feeling this way? she thought in perplexity. It's not like he ever said anything…like that to me before. Why am I expecting more from him all of a sudden? she interrogated herself sternly.

Is it 'all of a sudden'? some portion of her being asked.

Confused by the question, she blinked (mentally). Huh?

Are you sure these emotions are 'all of a sudden'? Haven't you always wanted more? the voice inquired. Kaoru recognized this particular voice from earlier, and wondered vaguely where it had come from.

What? Why in the world would I—?

I bet she really is secretly crazy about him, another voice said mercilessly.

No! she said furiously, stunned that parts of her own self had started to gang up on her. Because I—

You've proved before that you'd follow him anywhere, even to the ends of the earth if he chose to go there, the first voiced stated with a severely practical tone. Is that not love?

She was about to deny it once again, when many more new and unfamiliar voices joined the others.

She's right!

Why haven't you taken any action yet?

Maybe she's scared. What if he doesn't like her back?

Why wouldn't he like her? She's brave, smart, pretty—

Not as pretty as some of the other girls he's met, I'm sure.

The voices continued to argue amongst themselves, despite Kaoru's urgings to shut up. Kaoru became weaker by the second as her main inner voice was swallowed up the growing sea of commands, scoldings, and arguments that now rushed freely throughout her mind. The walls she had placed in her psyche to keep such thoughts away had crumbled against the confused and uncertain mixed emotions that had formed in her heart over the previous hour. She tried unsuccessfully to push the feelings and thoughts back to their corners, but they refused to restrained now. Amidst the shouts and demands for some action on her part, Kaoru's main voice cried desperately for quiet.

Stop telling me what to do! You sound just like Megumi!

The yelling continued. Her briefly alleviated headache had started to flare up again.

Please! I don't want to listen anymore! I'm tired.

She clutched her head with a hand in an attempt to relieve her throbbing temples. The headache's pain was becoming extremely hard to bear.

The voices did not cease.

She was not sure how long she could keep from screaming out loud in agony, when a gentle, caring voice cut through the violent flood to break her out of her trance.

"Kaoru-dono?"

Immediately the shouting stopped.

Immensely relieved at the blissful silence that had generated, she opened her eyes to see what had saved her from the horrible arguments inside her head.

Kenshin stared down at her in puzzlement.

Suddenly realizing how strange she must have looked a moment ago, she bent her head and she said rapidly, "Sorry, just, eh…" She searched for an answer that was not a total lie."…trying to make a headache go away…ha ha, that must have looked weird for a second there."

When he did not answer, she diverted her gaze upward.

It was still Kenshin, but a look of deep sorrow weighed his usually bright eyes down. His mouth was set in a grim line, no smile to be found.

"Kenshin?" she said indecisively, immediately worried.

A few soundless seconds passed before he answered.

"Will you not tell me?"

Caught off guard by the question and the undeniable distress on his face, Kaoru unthinkingly feigned another happy appearance. "Tell you what?"

His joyless expression remained. "Your mind is troubled. You attempt to hide it under false smiles and good spirits, but I can see it." Kaoru didn't answer, but simply stared back helplessly, for once, at a loss for what to do. "Will you not tell me what's on you mind?" he asked sincerely.

She kept looking up at him, instantly hating herself for being the cause of his sadness. "I-it's not that I don't want to. It's just…" Kaoru bit her lip as she stared down fixedly at a blade of grass her fingers fiddled with. She closed her eyes and counted to five. "I'm..." She stopped and frowned.

Afraid?

Of what he might think?

That's ridiculous! When did I start to care this much? Why am I so mixed up now? What—?

No…

No more.

I refuse to have another battle with myself over…over him.

Kaoru stood up hastily. "I'm sorry. I have to leave." She began to walk away, when she felt something on her shoulder.

For the third time that morning, Kenshin's quiet hand had reached out to stop her.

And for the third time that morning, her movement was brought to a standstill.

I apologize again. It was very short. Gah….something during Kaoru's "inner battle" did not feel quite right. If it was confusing to you, here's a small run-through. In my story, all the time she's known him, Kaoru's been bottling up certain feelings so that they do not intrude on their friendship. Megumi has that talk with her, forcing her to think about the things she's refused to listen to before. In the scene, these built-up thoughts are finally flooding her. I hope that clears things up. Ah yes, and I'm sorry if my simple explanation of why the tree is late is completely wrong (not much of a science person….okay not much of a common sense person in general). Okay, I'm tired and wishing to go to bed…..until next time!-Jackie