CHANCES ARE . . .
(X MARKS THE SPOT)
By: TREASURE
CHAPTER 7'I think it is! You can't be in those work clothes all the time!'
'Kenshin?'
'Don't worry, I'll deduct them from your fees!
'Arigatou!' Kaoru said gratefully knowing that at least would still be hers even in the event she would be thrown away for any reason at all.
M&&&&&&m
Kaoru stretched her arms and swayed them to her sides. It's time to wake up but she is still sleepy, so with her eyes tight shut, she curled up again in her futon, bringing the quilt tightly under her chin.
She wanted to dream, a happy dream about her home and her father. 'Father? Oh no, this is not home! I got to move quickly or else that job for me will turn to smoke. I must not abuse his kindness. I got to move double time!' Now that she's awake, she panicked!
She quickly changed in Kenshin's old hakama and gi, folded her futon and dashed out of her room in no time.
Once outside, she tried to slowdown and tugged her gi here and there, trying to straightened some of its crumple. Then she heard some noise in the kitchen, wondering who was it. Remembering Kenshin told her last night that he'll be gone early to the next town for an important meeting and wouldn't be back till late in the afternoon. She walked towards the kitchen more cautiously this time. She can feel that who ever is in the kitchen, definitely its not Kenshin.
She quickly went back to her room and grabbed her old trusty bokken. Quick successive steps towards the kitchen, she saw the figure sitting in front of the dining table, holding on to a knife, she knew that this is an intruder and who knows what he is doing here? In her thoughts an imminent danger is approaching, without further ado, she raised her bokken!
'Hyyyyyyyaaaaaa!' One strike, two strikes! And the boy was floored.
'A boy? Oro!' Kaoru now really is in panic. She quickly went near the boy.
'Okimasu kudasai! (please wake-up!)' Kaoru was shaking the boy vigorously, tapping his cheeks and massaging his jaw.
'Oooohhh' The boy flutter his eyes trying to comprehend what had hit him, then felt the sore lump on top of his head. Then he noticed Kaoru kneeling in one leg beside him, still holding her bokken. Instinct told him that this is the person who assaulted him. His hand felt the knife handle and without a word strike it towards Kaoru.
Kaoru was able to dodge the knife and leap a step further from the furious boy.
The boy made another striking stance; studying Kaoru's form for a second then made his move.
'Yamate (stop) Yahiko!'
Both the boy called Yahiko and Kaoru turned to where the voice came from. 'Kenshin!' They called him in unison.
'What do you think you are doing Yahiko?'
'This busu onna no ko (ugly girl) hit me with her bokken! She's trying to kill me!'
Kaoru was shocked to hear those accusations. 'I hit you because I thought you are an intruder and a grown man, if only I knew you're just a child. .. . . . . '
'You busu! I'm not a child!'
Kaoru saw that Yahiko's grip with the knife tightens, she held her bokken firmly too.
'You two stop it! Better follow me at the dojo!
'I'm sorry that your first meeting is not a simple one. Kaoru, I want you to meet my cousin Myoji Yahiko. Yahiko was out on a vacation when you arrived. Yahiko, this is Kamiya Kaoru.
'Sumimasen (sorry) Yahiko-chan, forgive me from hitting you. If only I've known you were Kenshin's cousin, this would have not happened.
'I said don't call me child! Yahiko still stubborn crossed his arms against his chest.
'Don't mind him, Kaoru, he's just like that, trying to be an adult but always act childish.'
'Kenshin!'
'Now, be a man and apologize to Kaoru!'
Yahiko, though he doesn't approve of what Kenshin wants, was forced to ask for an apology from Kaoru just to show his gentlemanly manners. 'Sumimasen!'
Kaoru bowed too, out of respect for Kenshin.
'By the way Yahiko, Kaoru will be staying here for a while. She is my new assistant.
M&&&&&&&m
'Kenshin'
'Yes Kaoru?'
'Could I just talk to you for a moment?'
'Go ahead please.'
'I'd like to apologize for clubbing your cousin this morning, I really thought he was here to rob the place!'
'I wouldn't apologize if I were you, that kid needs bashing for quite a while now!'
'Oro!' Kaoru could not think of why would Kenshin tell that against his cousin.
'That boy is sometimes pain in the neck. Most of the time he does what he does, not listening to me. He likes to fool around, giving away or sometimes selling "treasure maps" to unsuspecting victims. That vagabond and gambler Sanuske really is a bad influence for him!'
'Treasure maps?'
'Both of them said that it is just for fun and that I should not worry. I had punished him once. I tied him to tree with large ant colony for about fifteen minutes. With that he promised he would not do it again, but I'm afraid that he has done it again!'
'What would you do then?'
'This time I think, I'll pour honey on him after I tied him to that same tree!' There was a serious look in Kenshin's eyes. Kaoru could see that he wanted his little cousin to straighten his ways.
'By the way Kaoru, would you mind waiting for me here while I get something from my room?'
'Hai!'
Kenshin returned after a minute with a medium size package in his hands. 'This is for you Kaoru!'
'Domo arigatou, Kenshin!'
'Open it!'
Kaoru opened the package and was surprised to see that it contained three beautiful kimonos and two yukatas. The first kimono is of indigo, the color that matches her eyes. Small pink sakuras were printed on it. The second one has two-toned color of yellow and pink with some lovely butterfly prints. The third one is a lovely red number with white lilies. The sleeping yukatas were of light gray and light pink monotones.
Kaoru could almost cry with the package. 'These must cost you a fortune! How could I pay you back?'
'Did you like them?'
'Yes I do! But I don't think my salary could cover the cost for all of these!'
'No problem! Since you approve of my choice, you don't have to pay for them! Please consider them as a welcome gift!'
'Thank you!' Was all Kaoru can say, she can not return the gift, it would be rude and second, she desperately needs a change of clothes.
'I think you need something else but I guess I can leave them up to you!'
'I don't think there's something else I need!'
'Yes you do, how about 'und . . . . . . . .'
"Undies, yippess!' Kaoru blushed several shades of pink as she understood what Kenshin was trying to say.
'Tomorrow I'll show you where you can get them, but I wouldn't be there to help you!'
'Oro!' Kaoru almost fainted.
'Goodnight Kaoru, have a peaceful sleep!' Kenshin stood up and head to his room 'Ah Kaoru, so naïve! You even look like the Japanese doll my mother had left behind!' Kenshin was speaking to himself.
04252005