Disclaimer: I don't own RK


Pretend to be Nice

Chapter Seven

(Kaoru)

I'm alone. I am without a friend. I have no one to turn to. And despite it all, I'd rather have it this way.

How I ended up this way is quite a story to tell, actually.

The last time I left you, I was unwillingly smacked in the middle of what would otherwise have been a devastating family secret. My best friend's dad was having a clandestine relationship with another woman within the walls of their home, during his daughter's birthday.

It came as a shock to me as well, my discovery. For a person like me who had never felt the love of a mother and seeks forever to appease her father, a family like Megumi's was perfect.

A father who gave his daughter all she ever wanted, to the point of spoiling her and a mother who showered her with love.

It was a far cry from the family I had. And for that reason, I will always envy Megumi.

With this discovery I have made of Mr. Takani's betrayal also came my disillusionment.

The family I have admired so much was in the brink of destruction.

My first thought was, 'Did Megumi know? Was she aware of this secret and was only hiding the pain away?'

I could not face her when she finally came back to her room. She had in her hands a curling iron, hair pins, her make up kit was dangled by the handle on her finger. As Megumi always told me, I was the sister she always wanted.

She had wanted a sister for so long. I used to wonder why she never had one. She told me, her parents didn't want to have any more children.

"They said I was already a handful! Why add more to their suffering?" She laughed at this. I used to laugh too. I knew how much trouble she could cause all on her own.

But now, I also knew why she never had any more siblings.

'How long had it been going on?' I asked myself.

"Kaoru? Why, you're staring at nothing, you're freaking me out."

She caught my attention again. I just looked at her. And somehow she knew.

"Did something happen while I was away? Did you see a ghost or something?"

I just continued looking at her. I wish I could lie but I couldn't think of a convincing one. I just bowed my head and looked at the ground.

"There's something you're not telling me, what is it?"

I shook my head, hoping she would stop asking.

"Come on. We never keep secrets from each other."

She was nudging me.

"Come on, Kaoru. Spill it out already? You're getting weird on me."

"It's nothing. It's just--"

For a while there, I thought of telling her the truth. But then, I looked at her face and I could see how happy she was. I said to myself, No, not like this, not today.

But, she was still staring at me, expecting an answer.

"I... I'm sorry I didn't wear a dress at your party." was all I could think of.

She laughed at this.

"Is that what's bothering you? Geez, Kaoru, you got me scared there for a minute. I thought you saw my grandma's ghost or something. You really are a freak, you know that?" It was usual of Megumi to call names like that.

Sometimes, I think it's unfair the way I let her call me anything yet, when I call her names, she gets offended easily.

We both went outside to party with smiles on our faces. We met Sayo and Tsubame along the way who were both wearing a dress. Megumi's orders of course.

I don't understand Megumi. I think she had this vision of the kind of clique she wanted us to be seen. You know, like in those movies like the "Plastics" in "Mean Girls" or that group of girls from "Jawbreaker". Except of course that we can't wear clothes like theirs because we have prescribed uniforms (Which I am eternally grateful for). So, Megumi thinks that we should dress up as much as we can whenever we attend parties (i.e. this one) or go outside since it's the only opportunity we have to uh... 'flaunt'.

I honestly try not to snort whenever Megumi explains this to us. Sayo and Tsubame, she can convince, but me? Nuh-uh. I always thought I would be Darth Vader among Barbie's.

So, anyway, we went on to party which I didn't mind because it got my mind off things. I didn't like the attention I was getting though. Our classmates were all like so eager to look at me as if I'll spontaneously combust in front of them.

"It's just freaky seeing you in plain clothes without the backdrop of the walls of Trinity High behind you, that's all" one classmate said.

"Yeah, it's like seeing a fish out of the water." another one commented.

And somebody else noticed me, thus, the endless comments. So I decided to say something.

"Well, Shinomori-san is a student council member too, President, in fact. And I bet it'd be much more interesting to see him in plain clothes as well." I said, But another student just said,

"Oh, we see him all the time at the park or some record shop all the time."

'How come I didn't know that? Note to self, go out more. Parks and Record shops are ideal places to hang out.'

"Yeah, you're a rare commodity, you know that, Kamiya?"

"Yeah, it sure is freaky seeing you all... relaxed you know."

What was I? Some kind of freak in a Circus Fair? Why are they all flocking at me? And what's with this not seeing me so relaxed? Am I stiff?

I rolled my eyes at these.

"Ooopsss... careful guys, she might give us demerits or detention or something."

Then they all had a laugh.

...at my expense, mind you.

Oh I think I'll just laugh along with them...NOT!

I told Megumi I'll just go inside for a while. She understood completely that I needed to get away from all that.

So with a chorused "Oooooohhhh..." at my back, I marched back in.

Then, my feet landed back on reality. There he was, Mr. Takani. Megumi's dad.

The woman he had in his arms a while ago was gone. He just looked at me curiously. And somehow that look he gave me, told me that he knew what I knew. I guess Megumi got that from him. Sometimes, Megumi looks at me as if she knew I was hiding something.

Mr. Takani asked me to sit down on the sofa. He patted the spot like a good-natured old man. Not that he was that old. In fact, he looked young. I wonder how young he was when he got married?

"Kaoru-chan, I know that you saw me a while ago." he said sweetly. I was surprised at how casual he sounded.

I just sat there without a word.

"Don't tell my daughter." He then looked as if he was pleading with his eyes.

"How can I keep it from her when I'm her best friend?"

"Sometimes, being a friend means you have to lie." Then he left.

I went out in a daze. I was so surprised to see Megumi that I almost shouted.

She was just looking at me. Then, she said. "You ARE hiding something from me."

I gulped. Megumi was never pleasant when she was angry.

"Tell me. You know I don't like it when people keep secrets from me."

"I'm not keeping anything from you, Megumi."

"Then, what were you and Daddy talking about?"

I looked at her.

"I saw you earlier. I was wondering if you were okay."

"There's nothing to tell, Megumi."

"Oh please, don't lie to me, Kaoru."

"It's nothing important!"

"I still want to know!" she took a step towards me. If I haven't told you, yet. Megumi is way taller than me. So, it's kind of intimidating staring up at her like that.

"Megumi!"

"Kaoru!" It was already a staring contest between the two of us. And naturally, I, the one who had a secret, looked away first.

"See, you can't even stare straight to my eye."

I kept quiet.

"You won't tell me?"

I just shut up.

"Fine, I won't talk to you until you tell me."

I looked up at her.

"And so will Sayo and Tsubame. You know how sacred our friendship is. No lies. No secrets."

Her eyes were challenging me. It's as if she knew I would start talking right away.

But, I didn't.

I walked past her and out of their house.

She looked at me with a shocked expression as I walked away.

And that is how I ended up standing outside Megumi's gate. I walked home.

Monday

Monday was an agony. Somehow along the way, Megumi resolved herself to being angry at me and Sayo and Tsubame had no idea what was going on. When I asked Tsubame about this she said Megumi told them that I should be taught a lesson on the values of friendship.

Imagine that! But, I'm not giving in. I kept myself busy with student council work, preparing my report on Saito's class and when I just passed by the bulletin board a while ago, it said the school paper staff were having a meeting later.

Did I forget to mention that I am part of the school paper?

Talk about workaholic, right?

Well, you see, the student council and the school paper (It's called 'The Torch' but, we're debating on a new name) are two very different things.

When you're in the student council, it means the students respect and trust you. And if you're a part of the school paper, you're a sophist punk.

Everybody knows how hard it is to get accepted into the school paper. So, they're like the elite, you know. A perfect attribute for when I finally run for Student Council president.

Well, anyway, I love going to meetings with my co-staffers at the 'Torch' because they're such a different crowd compared to the student council prats. People just leave us to do anything we want. We felt really bohemian, you know. Like we were so different.

Of course, 'Torch' is haven to many interesting people. They said, Kamatari-sensei, who is like my most favorite teacher, used to be a staffer. So s/he comes by sometimes and just gives us some ice cream and stuff to 'keep our artistic senses moving'.

One time, she offered us some cigarettes. She said smoking was usually a writer's habit. Which I guess is true since she lost her whole pack when she passed it around and for a while we couldn't see each other because of the thick smoke. Oh, I didn't get one, my father will kill me.

Isn't it great?

Well, before I could go to the meeting I bumped into some people along the way.

I was just in my locker getting something. When Sagara just leaned on it and stared at me with that stupid expression of his.

"Hang in there, Kamiya." he said and I just stared stupidly at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, it must be hard for you now that your so-called best friend has waged war on you."

"What?"

"She kept on yapping on about you keeping secrets from her. I thinks she expects me to be interested in any part of her life. She wouldn't shut up."

'Megumi was talking about me? I wonder what she's saying?'

"well, anyway, you'll be fine, Kamiya." then he patted me in the head and whistled away.

Patted-me-in-the-head!

Like I was some kind of pre-schooler!

I don't understand people.

And then, Saito-sensei passed by and he just gave me this stare. Yeah, he just stared at me. As if he'd expected me to drop dead or something. Of course, I knew why I was getting this attention from him. My report's tomorrow. Yeah, so far, things have really been brightening up for me, don't you agree?

And then the other one was a senior who also happened to be a part of the student council. She asked me if I could ask some of the 'people at the school paper' (note: She said it like it was a virus) could help do the backdrop for the upcoming school dance.

Does she have any idea how eccentric artists can be? Or how demanding. Well, I guess that's why she left me so quick, leaving me no choice as she scurried away from me, saying, she had more important matters at hand. Yeah, she needed to retouch her make up.

And oh, I almost forgot, I bumped into Kenshin along the way. And When I said bumped I meant it as two bodies colliding with each other, kind of bump, ok.

He just stared meekly at me as if he's expect me to eat him up, then bowed his head and scurried away.

I think it was just my imagination, thought that I heard someone calling out to him. Like he had a friend waiting for him or something.

when I got to the meeting, most of the staffers were not there yet, as usual. Someone already posted what the meeting was all about. We were appointed our new positions. And guess what? I'm the new Feature Editor! That means I'll have my own nook, uh, I mean desk. Huzzah! Finally all that hard work paid off.

Then they gave us working assignments. After that we chatter for a while. Some people at the back were doodling in their notebooks. Others looking at the board as if it was very interesting and some others were chatting. Sometimes I wonder whether our office really is just a hangout for all of us since no one really does any work in there.

One was playing a guitar, and he was the one I needed to talk to.

Kenshin

He was being held in a corner. He didn't know what to do. Why did they suddenly thought about this.

Kenshin stood squeezing himself into a corner as a group of girls poked around with him.

"Come on, Kenshin, talk."

"Yeah, we want to hear your voice."

"Are you really mute?"

"Do you use sign language?"

"Oh, frankly I don't care. I've always liked the silent type."

Then they all laughed.

Was this really what he was destined to be?

"Come on girls, give Kenshin a break." he heard a familiar voice from behind the girls.

"Sagara! What gives us the pleasure of your presence?"

"I'm not here for you, Yumi. You've got my friend stuck there in the corner."

All the girls looked at Kenshin who only stared meekly.

"You're friends with Himura? Since when?" one of the girls asked.

"That's none of your business. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get my friend now."

The girls gave way to Kenshin and he was finally out of the room.

Outside, Sano told him, "What would you ever do without me."

Kenshin only gave him a half smile.

From the short time Kenshin knew Sano, he already concluded that he's a good guy.

"Well, got to go, my friend. Don't get yourself into anymore trouble."

Kenshin bowed to him and only when Sano was gone, did he realize that he had missed his last class altogether.

'I really need to assert myself more. I can't go on like this forever.'

He was already suggesting that we put more artwork in the paper.

"But, we're not a picture album! We're a school paper!" I said it again for emphasis.

But he didn't give up.

"How about we put more articles about the more juicy goings on in this place. You know like, a blind item for teachers where we reveal all their secrets. Come on, you've got to admit it's a cool idea!"

I was really getting ticked off now,

"Enishi."

"What?" he finally stopped talking and looked at me, full attention wise.

"Shut up." Then I got to more important matters at hand.

"Now, as I was saying, the Student Council would appreciate it greatly if you could come up with a backdrop for the upcoming dance."

He only stared at me for a while. He really irritates me. I don't understand what's up with his stupid white hair, and what's up with those glasses he's wearing?

"What do I get in return?"

"Geez, you want a plaque or something?"

"You don't get anything out of nothing in this world, Kamiya."

"We don't have anything to give you. We're asking you this as a favor."

"Well then, no backdrop."

Enishi Yukishiro is the most infuriating man in the world! He's head cartoonist and I must admit he's got quite a talent. But, what use is that when every part of you is hateful?

"Fine then, what do you want?"

"I want my band on that stage." he said confidently. then strummed his stupid guitar.

"Shut up. You're annoying me."

"The backdrop, Kamiya. The backdrop..."

"We could just get somebody else."

"But, you know no one's as good as me, don't you? And you would only want the best for your little dance, don't you? Otherwise it might reflect badly on the student council. You are after all our role models, oh wonderful student leaders."

"Fine then, just so that you'll shut up, name?"

"Yukishiro Enishi, a.k.a. Guitarist extraordinaire."

"No, I meant your band. Honestly I think you make yourself dim-witted on purpose."

But he just smirked at me.

"Crunch Rocket."

"Crunch Rocket? What kind of a name is that?"

"That's what you call a cool name, Kamiya. Something, you're not familiar with, the art of coolness. Now, write it down that little organizer of yours so you don't forget."

"How did you know I had an organizer?"

"Oh please, your kind always carried those atrocities around."

"It's to help me organize and plan things, Yukishiro. Something you're obviously not familiar with."

"What d you know about my plans?" he challenged.

"Simple, you don't have any."

"That's where you're wrong." then he just left. I suppose he was trying to achieve an air of mystery when he did that but I hardly noticed.

(Kenshin)

He really wanted to stop them now. But how could he when there were so many of them?

'Okay, Kenshin, calm down. You don't want to do anything stupid now, don't you'

Where is Sano when you need him?

The boy in front of him was way taller than him, and he happened to hold a lock of his hair up, in the other hand he had a scissor. Kenshin looked around the boy's gang mates. The only one not joining in with the laugh was a white haired boy sitting not far away, tuning his guitar.

The others were still laughing at him. They have poured a bucket of water at him a while ago and nobody else seem to be interested in helping him right now. He could fight them, but, he'd rather choose not.

And then, finally he heard someone, a familiar voice.

"Hey! What are you doing! Get away from him!"

It was Kamiya Kaoru, running towards them.

"Uh-oh, prat girl is here!" the boy in front of him said.

Kaoru was already upon them. She yanked Kenshin away from the boy's grip.

"If you're too bored with your own lives, don't bug someone else!"

Again, the fire in her eyes was there. The determined look she had was stronger than before as she reprimanded the gang of boys picking on him.

Kenshin noticed the white haired boy stand up and walk towards Kaoru.

"Figures it'll be you, Enishi. When can you ever be nice to anyone?"

Kenshin expected the boy to look surprised and deny everything, after all, he didn't really have anything to do. But, he just smirked at Kaoru. And somewhere in his gut, Kenshin didn't like that.

"Come on, Kenshin. Let's get away from here."

Kaoru pulled him away and Kenshin noticed the stare Enishi was giving Kaoru.

"You might want to get some medicine for your friend there! His menstrual cramps might hurt like hell!" Enishi yelled after them.

"Get a life, Enishi!" Kaoru shouted back.

Kaoru continued pulling him around, he had no idea where they were going when suddenly Kaoru stopped in her tracks. He did everything he could to pretend his nose from colliding with her shoulder.

He looked at her and noticed her staring at someone.

It was Megumi.

Neither spoke a word. It was a staring contest between the girls.

Megumi walked past them as the two other girls, Sayo and Tsubame, stared in puzzlement.

When Megumi and her pals were gone, Kaoru bowed her head. Kenshin noticed her eyes brimming with tears.

For the first time, he was seeing Kaoru as vulnerable and soft. He felt ashamed of himself for regarding her beautiful when she's sad.

But, Kaoru didn't let the tears fall. She pulled him again and walked on. Kenshin kept staring at the traces of her tears, but there were none.

When they got to someplace quiet she took out her handkerchief and begun wiping off the water on his face.

"You should really start standing up for yourself, Kenshin." She said while still busily wiping his face.

"Look at you, you're soaked! Why didn't you stop them? Everybody deserves some respect, you know."

She was already squeezing out water from her hanky. She handed it to him so he could wipe himself. But, he just held it like he was too stupid to know what to do.

Why am I acting like this? It's as if I can't move.

"Come here." she urged. He just looked at her as she raised her hands to his face. Somehow, on instinct, Kenshin pulled away.

"Relax. I'm only going to take off your glasses. How can you see through this thing?" She was looking at the glasses she now held in her hands. "It's all wet. What would have happened to you if I didn't come, huh?"

That got him thinking. What could have happened?

She raised her head again to attend to him and started pulling away some hair that stuck to his face. Then he was face to face with her.

But his vision was so blurry he couldn't see her reaction. He just heard her murmur.

"You don't look so bad without your glasses, Kenshin. Ever thought about getting contacts?"

That made him blush. He bowed his head again.

"Hey, hey! Stop hiding yourself." She laughed at this.

Kenshin tried to see her face while she laughed but his vision was too blurry.

"My dad's an ophthalmologist, Kenshin. Maybe you should see him sometime."

He reached for his glasses but Kaoru pulled away.

"huh, You think I'll give this back to you now that I've seen your secret?"

Kenshin guessed that he probably looked very puzzled so Kaoru answered the question written on his face.

'What secret?'

"Your secret is your face. What lies beneath all that awkwardness."

Then he felt her touch on the cross scar on his cheek. She didn't say anything, just caressed it. He didn't see the sad expression of her eyes.

Then, as if something bit her, she pulled away.

"I... I... didn't mean to... uhm... you should get home now, before you catch a cold. I have to go." Then she ran away.

When Kenshin finally pulled on his glasses, all he could see was her retreating back. He looked at the handkerchief he still held in his hand.

He fingered the embroidery. It said: Kamiya Shizuka.


I'm sorry for the long delay but you see when your computer breaks down and it takes weeks before it get s started again, this is what happens.

Please review guys. What do you think about this chapter? I'm really confused at the moment. Enishi wasn't supposed to be in there actually and I simply don't know what to do about the other pairings... sigh.