Chapter 5

Kenshin's Faux pas

Misao and Sano stood frozen for a moment but then raced to their friend's side. Kenshin was bent down to her left; Sano to her right and Misao had gone around and was standing behind Kaoru's chair.

"Oh my gosh, Kaoru?" Misao leaned in from behind her friend and started to lift the girl by the shoulders to sit her upright as Kenshin gripped Kaoru's shoulders from the front to help. Carefully they leaned her back in the seat as her head fell back, and she let out a small groan.

Misao was standing over her and quickly inspected the girl's forehead for cuts and other injuries. Kenshin rose from his squatted position, but continued to hover close to Kaoru as he too inspected her.

Relief washed over them, as they could see no signs of blood of any bruising.

Misao gently traced Kaoru's forehead checking for lumps or bumps, "Oh thank god she's not cut or anything! Kaoru, how could you just drop your head like that…you hit it so hard!"

"I told you she was hard-headed" Sano smirked now classically crossing his arms across his chest. Kenshin frowned at the comment but his eyes went back to the girl.

Kaoru straightened her neck back up as she tried to look forward, but she kept her eyes shut from the pain in her head. "Huh?...w-what Misao? I…I'm…fine! Screw you Sano!" she struggled to get the words out in order.

Kenshin was still looking at her forehead, trying to make sure she really hadn't hurt herself. He quickly looked around them and noticed they were attracting a bit too much attention from the other customers. "We gotta' get outta' here. If someone walks over they'll know right away she's underage and totally wasted'. He looked around for the nearest exit.

"Come on Kaoru", he spoke to her while slipping his right arm behind her and placing her left arm across the back of his shoulders. He gripped her waist with his right hand and with his left he held onto the arm around his shoulders. He helped and supported her weight as he guided her to stand up.

Misao could do nothing more than go around them and grab Kaoru's purse from the table. Sano looked around to see if there were any bouncers but didn't see anything other than a few of the bar patrons looking back at them. Most of the customers went back to their own business not giving the group another thought, which he was thankful for.

"Where are we taking her Kenshin?" Sano asked still looking around.

"Let's just get out of HERE for now. When we get outside we'll figure it out", Kenshin replied. He knew he was in charge of the situation and knew the other two were depending on him to make quick, smart decisions. But even more importantly Kaoru was in no state to make any decisions, and he felt completely responsible for her.

"Why do I care so much about her though?" He looked around once more and in a few seconds recognized elevator doors not too far from where they stood. "We can't chance it and take the escalator. There are too many people around there and she's too drunk for the stairs or escalator." With Kaoru still practically hanging off of him, he instructed them, "This way…there's an elevator we can take downstairs".

The four made their way through the crowd and towards the sleek, black elevator doors. Misao was in the front followed by Kenshin who was still holding on to Kaoru and helping her walk, and Sano headed up the rear still on the look out for any trouble heading their way. Kenshin tried to look down at Kaoru to make sure she was okay, but couldn't make out her features in the dim lights. He could hear her groan every now and then as she continued to curse at Sano.

"Mmmmh….I'mmm not drunk!" she slurred as the side of her head fell and rested on Kenshin's shoulder.

"Sigh!...Kaoru, just relax for a minute. We are going outside before we get into trouble okay?" Kenshin tried to reason with her just as they neared the elevator doors.

They stopped in front of the door and waited impatiently for them to open. Kenshin hoped no one would follow them in and looked around. Misao was jabbing at the buttons with anxiety and looked back towards Kaoru who was still being held up by Kenshin. "God Kaoru, you're really wasted!", she exclaimed.

Instantly Kaoru came out of her stupor and looked up at her friends, "I…I'm NOT DRUNK!" she yelled. Kaoru looked up towards Kenshin and noticed he was practically holding her up. She pushed back from him, trying to steady herself on her own two feet. She wobbled and swayed, and Kenshin was ready to catch her in case she fell. He let her stand on her own…for now.

Kenshin looked at the girl and wondered "Why is she's so damn stubborn?" He stared at her standing there; her blue eyes were open wide with anger, frustration, and confusion. The way she stood there made his heart skip a beat and when she looked at him with out any apprehension, and he suddenly felt a bit nervous. "Hold on a minute, why is she making ME so nervous?"

To say Kenshin had never had any trouble with the opposite sex was an understatement! His style, confidence, and sweet but tough-guy attitude won him admirers wherever he went. He had a few girlfriends in the past and more one-night encounters that'd make any guy proud, but he was never too attached to any one of those girls. They were all conquests for him, and he didn't think twice about leaving them. Never had a girl caught his attention like this! He continued to look at her and was shaken from his thoughts by the familiar ring of the elevator doors parting open.

The sleek, black doors parted to a large-capacity interior with black walls, black rubber floor littered here and there with bits of paper, and a silver railing that ran the perimeter of the car. A young couple stepped out, and as they walked past the group of friends, they looked inquisitively at Kaoru who was still insisting she wasn't drunk.

In her mind Kaoru sounded perfectly sane and couldn't notice she was swaying from side to side and slurring through her words. So when the couple gave her weird looks, she was instantly on fire with rage.

"Wutrrrr YOU lookin' at?" she demanded, looking angrily at the couple.

"Oh crap, she's lookin' for a fight! What's wrong with this chick!" Kenshin thought as he quickly grabbed Kaoru's arm and dragged her into the elevator carriage with Misao and Sano walking in behind them.

"Uh...hehe...sorry about that, don't mind her", Misao apologized to the couple who gave a few more glances to the belligerent girl and her friends. The elevator doors shut and Kenshin let out a sigh of relief.

But Kaoru was still angry, "What the HELL were they sssstaring at? I am NOT DRUNK..." she looked at Kenshin, "Kenshin? I…I…I'm not drunk right? NO! I'm not! An-and…and why're we leaving! I was…I was…having so much fun!" Kaoru leaned with her back on the wall of the elevator and held onto the railing with both hands to hold herself up. Kenshin stood only a few inches away worried that the jerking movements of the elevator car might knock her off balance. Misao stood on Kaoru's other side and Sano stood nearest to the doors.

Kenshin looked at her and answered as calmly as possible, "Kaoru, you'll be okay. You just need some fresh air is all, okay? And we had to leave before anyone found out you…um, had some drinks and are underage." He knew telling her that she was drunk out of her mind was not wise at the moment.

"Yeah sweety…otherwise they'll call your mom or something if they catch us" Misao added soothingly while brushing some stray bangs out of Kaoru's eyes.

"More like throw MY ass in jail" Sano added, "I'm the one that bought her the drinks in the first place."

"I'M FIIIINE!" Kaoru yelled at them. "Not…not…drunk! Damn".

Just then the elevator stopped as the doors slid open once more. Sano walked out and held the doors open for the others to pass through. Before Kenshin could take hold of Kaoru, Misao had already taken her arm and was guiding her out of the elevator. The group walked down a short hallway on the ground floor and walked quickly past other customers, and out the glass doors of the establishment.

Once outside, Kenshin could see the sun dipping down as the sky softened to shades of gold, violet, and pink. "I'm sure she'll have to be home soon, but how can I let her go home like this? Misao won't be able to look out for her. There's no way she's taking the bus like THIS!" Kenshin looked at Misao and then at Sano, thinking of what to do next. He glanced down at his watch and frowned, "Shit, it's already 7:30 pm. I wonder what time she has to be home?"

They were walking slowly so that Kaoru wouldn't trip and fall over herself as Kenshin thought about his plan of action. Sano walked ahead of the rest of them slightly with his hands shoved nonchalantly in his pockets, Misao and Kenshin walked besides Kaoru. He looked over at her as she practically stumbled on every step and walked sideways more then she could straightforward.

She was stubbornly refusing Misao's help in assisting her walk straight. A few people on the street stared and Kenshin wanted to wrap his arm around her shoulders to steady her, but decided against it, "She's so damn stubborn, I think she'll rip my arm out!" They passed a few stores: restaurants, bars, and other shops.

"Kaoru, let me help you walk hon, otherwise you're gonna fall" Misao said as she tried to reach her arm around Kaoru to help her.

"Why do you guys th-think I'm drunk!...I'm perf-f-fectly f-f-fine!" she barely got the words out coherently as she avoided Misao's reach. She stumbled away quickening her pace and walked up a little ahead of group.

Kenshin thought that she needed to sit for a while before she fell on the hard pavement. "What am I going to do with her?"

As Kenshin thought and Misao was yelling at Sano for getting her friend drunk in the first place, the group drew closer to a crowd of people outside a bar. A few of the young guys turned around when they noticed Kaoru stumbling by them. They smiled and winked at her along with a few lewd comments. "Hey cutie, where you goin' in such a hurry?" a scruffy-looking character asked walking up to her.

"GO TO HELL ASSHOLE!" Kaoru fired back! She wasn't drunk enough to notice that she was being harassed. But she was still too drunk to walk straight as she tried to stand her ground and wave her middle finger at the jerk. "I'll….imma' kick your ass you…you…you CLOWN!"

The group of guys hooted and hollered as they laughed at the statement. Kaoru only got angrier. But just as the scruffy-looking guy walked towards her, Sano and Kenshin rushed over as Misao went to Kaoru's side once more.

"We got a problem here?" Sano asked getting right in the guys face. The little man looked up at Sano and looked back towards his friends who had turned away and wanted nothing to do with the situation.

"You need to control your bitch" he spat back at Sano and Kenshin.

Kenshin nearly lost his nerve as he balled up his fists ready to knock to man out. But he knew the guy was drunk and it wouldn't make sense in attracting any more attention to them. He still had to worry about Kaoru first and foremost who was still underage to be drunk, and he couldn't help her if he got locked up for getting in a public fight.

Sano, on the other hand, was ready to throw down! "What did you say wise-ass?" he yelled at the much shorter man. "You better shut your mouth and walk away if you know what's good for you!"

The man glanced at Sano and Kenshin, and knowing he was outnumbered he smartly chose to walk away.

"YEAH YOU BETTER WALK AWAY ASSHOLE!" Kaoru yelled after the man who merely flipped her off and kept walking. Misao turned to Kaoru and covered her mouth to shut her up.

"This girl is going to make my hair turn gray", Kenshin thought.

"Gees Missy, you're pickin' fights now?" Sano spoke as he and Kenshin walked towards the two girls.

"We need to have her sit for a minute…" Kenshin thought aloud as he looked around. But Kaoru was already one step ahead and slumped down on the ledge of a closed down bar's window. The large windows were blackened out, but provided enough of a surface for her to rest on. Kenshin was relieved that she was no longer stumbling around, cursing at people. Misao sat down next to her and Kenshin stood over in front of her. Misao smoothed a few stray hairs from Kaoru's face as she asked the girl how she was feeling.

Kaoru looked at her friend and then looked up at Kenshin as if she noticed them for the first time. "Oh…" she let out a sigh, "why'rr you guysss…actin' ssso wieeerd at me? I'M NOT DRUNK…I…I'M…I'M FINE!"

Misao let out a long sigh and rolled her eyes at the comment. Kenshin continued to look down towards Kaoru who was still looking up at him from her seat. Her eyes were wide with curiosity over the 'weird' attention her friends were giving her. She was flushed from the short walk, but probably more from the liquor in her system still reeking havoc on her brain and senses.

"Even drunk she looks so adorable", Kenshin thought to himself allowing a small smile to curl up his lips. "She's got beautiful eyes…so innocent". He continued to stare at her for a few moments when Misao suddenly stood up.

"Kenshin, watch her for a few okay? I need to find a bathroom like right NOW!" she said distressfully. "Hey Kaoru, do you need to go to the restroom? Feel like throwing up?" she looked back down towards her friend.

Kaoru vigorously shook her head and looked down towards her feet still mumbling that she was fine.

"Alright" Misao looked at Kenshin, "I won't be long. I'll take Sano with me and we'll get her some water. Need anything?"

Kenshin shook his head and soon Sano and Misao walked off towards the nearest bar/restaurant. He found himself alone with Kaoru and squatted down in front of her to eye level.

"Hey there" he was surprised at his own soothing tone as he spoke to her, "how're you feelin'? Don't pay attention to these clowns out here, they have no brains." He was still angry with the guy from earlier who had tried to hit on her. Kenshin heard no reply to his question.

She bent her head down as she tried to not look at him and let her bangs cover her eyes. Kenshin cocked his head to the side as he leaned in closer to her and softly spoke again, "Hey, you okay? Sorry about this, I shouldn't have just sat by and let you get like this. Does your head hurt?"

He reached out his hand to brush some hair from her face. He couldn't help but notice how soft her hair was between his fingers, and the sweet, warm smell of jasmine that radiated from her as he breathed in her perfume. She sniffled a bit and looked up at him. As he caught sight of her face he knew that this time his heart definitely skipped a beat.

She looked up and their eyes met. Her eyes looked larger and their deep blue color seemed to shine brighter as they welled up with tears. Her skin had an ethereal glow to it as the dying sun cast the last of his golden rays down on her. A soft, breeze blew her hair to the side and he thought she looked like an angel.

He felt himself drowning at the sight of her and had to push his desires of gathering her in his arms and holding her. Instead he brushed his knuckles on her soft cheek as a single tear rolled down from her eye and wet his hand.

"Kaoru…" he breathed as more tears flowed from her big, beautiful eyes. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Don't let that asshole bother you…it's not your fault." Kenshin would do anything to stop whatever was hurting her. "I've never…that beautiful face should never be so sad...she's so sad. Why is she crying?"

"Oh Kenshin!" she sobbed as a flood of tears rolled down her face. She leaned herself in towards him and rested her forehead on his shoulder. Her hands were in her lap clutching her purse.

He was frozen momentarily and couldn't figure out what possessed her to get so close to him. She was always so guarded regarding the personal space around her and he was nervous to get too close. Slowly though, he snapped out of his shock and encircled her in his arms and held her to himself, allowing her to cry for a few more moments before he couldn't take the pain in her sobs anymore. Was she in pain? Hurt? He needed to know.

Reluctantly he gripped her shoulders and pushed her up and away from him slightly, but still held her near him. She bent her head bent down and he gently held her chin and lifted her face up to meet his eyes. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her perfect features were twisted in anxiety. "What's wrong Kaoru? Tell me…please?" Kenshin pleaded with her as his hands cupped her face. He gently brushed some tears away using his thumbs. He couldn't help but notice how soft and warm her skin was under his own, and waited for her to compose herself and answer him.

She wouldn't meet his eyes though and looked down at the pavement, then past him, and then down again, doing anything to avoid his gaze. Kenshin was patient though, and held her firmly until he got an answer from her.

She began to speak in between sobs and deep breaths for air, "K-Kenshin, I…I'm sorry…for all this. I…I'm ssso stupid!" she started to cry once more, and dipped her head back down to look at her feet in shame.

Kenshin looked at her for a moment, trying to control the sudden urge to chuckle because he knew she would kill him if he laughed at her. Her words barely came out through her crying and on top of that, she was slurring them. "So cute!" he thought as he gently lifted her face up once more.

"Kaoru, but its okay. It's not entirely your fault you know. And you'll be fine in a little while, and then I will drive you home, and I won't let you get in trouble with your folks if that's what you're worried about". Kenshin wondered why he was being so protective of a girl he only recently met, and was fighting the urge to hug her once more.

"wha…what's my mom gonna' say?" and she was a mess of tears once more.

Kenshin took a deep breath trying to figure out how to pacify her. "She's so upset, I guess her parents must be really strict. Great! That's another issue now! What if they come after ME for this mess? Sigh!" He looked at her again, "But I won't let her get into trouble. No matter what!"

"Kaoru, it'll be okay. If anything, I'll come home with you and talk to your folks. I guess they will be mad at first. But you know if we can just get you to relax a bit before you have to be home, they don't even have to find out. What time is your curfew anyway?" he asked smoothing some stray hairs out of her eyes. "Now I'm agreeing to come home with her and meet some angry-ass parents! I must be out of my damn mind! And her pop's was a martial arts teacher. He'll probably want to beat my ass down. Yeah! Like I'll let THAT happen!"

"I…it's ah…11" she replied as she wiped away some tears.

"Okay, we have some time then. It'll be okay Kaoru."

"I guess we can all go to a movie or something and she can sleep it off without creating too much a scene. She's definitely NOT taking a bus, so I'll just drive her home." Kenshin knew Misao and Sano would agree to his plan, "they really don't have a choice", he thought. He was the only one that drove in and he already knew where she lived. "Perfect!"

She seemed to reflect for a moment and then shook her head still crying, "No!…Kenshin, you…you don't understand! YOU DON'T' UNDER-S-STAND!" Her emotions were flooding out and the pain in her voice shattered his thoughts. She looked up at him, "My dad…he…an-and …and…now ME! What will my mom say?"

Kenshin didn't understand what she was trying to tell him, and decided that she still wasn't thinking too clearly. All he could think of was gathering her up in his arms again as she was still crying, and he was getting desperate to try and calm her.

So he did what he would've normally done with any other girl. He reached out and pulled her towards him as he caught her in his arms once more. She cried against his chest, as he stroked her hair lulling her, and resting his chin on her head. "Why do I have this need to keep holding her like this? She feels perfect in my arms though and I never thought anyone else's tears would make ME so worried. Great Kenshin, you're loosing yourself to this girl?"

He held her shoulders raising her up and met her eyes once more. Her tears left her eyes puffy and red, and lashes wet. Her lips were slightly swollen from her constantly biting down on them out of nervousness, and cheeks were flushed under her smooth skin.

He'd never been around someone so innocent, pretty, and stubborn all at the same time. Kenshin thought she looked amazing the moment he laid eyes on her earlier in the restaurant, and was completely impressed with her strong, competitive attitude. But there was a shy and innocent quality about her that he was beginning to find irresistible. There was sadness in her eyes that mystified him as he yearned to know more and more about this girl.

"Beautiful…" he thought as he slowly inched his face towards hers.

Without another word he gently pressed his lips down on hers and began to savor her. The kiss was soft and he cupped her face in his hands once more. He wanted to deepen the kiss, to taste her and wanted desperately for her to kiss him back.

She mumbled a bit under his lips, and he couldn't understand what she was saying. All he could think about was kissing her, holding her, and making her tears stop. He didn't notice what she was saying but found her struggling to get out of his hold.

"Mmmmh….K-KENSHIN!" she mumbled and then screamed.

"I love to hear her say my name", he thought finally releasing her and smiling in satisfaction. He opened his eyes slowly as if waking from a perfect dream to look at the angel once more. Expecting to see her smiling back, he was baffled to see a frown across her face. She looked at him for a moment and without another word…

SLAP!

He sat there in shock and stared at the now furious Kaoru before him. She glared back at him through teary eyes and held a hand over her mouth. At that point he realized Kaoru truly was like no other girl he had ever met.

"She…she…SLAPPED me!"

End Chapter 5

LMAO! Well I guess Casanova will think twice about trying to kiss a drunk, upset girl again! J/K! Last chappy ended with a SMACK and now this one with a SLAP! Remember when I said a lot of this was from personal experiences? Take a guess as to which parts actually happened!

So, will Kenshin walk away from Kaoru now that his manly pride has been hurt? Will she continue to beat him down for trying to take advantage of her? Will I ever stop leaving you all hanging with these cliffys? Find out in the next chapter!

LOL ENAJ! – Thanks for the reviews!