I got the Kenji's role model's and the basis for his character from what I read online about a side story, "The Secret lives of the Characters" in which it describes what the characters have been doing and in that book it states that Kenji grew up "to be more twisted than Saito and more egomaniacal than Shishio." I dunno how true that rings, but that's what I'm basing myself by.
That was the first time he voiced his feelings for his father out loud, and he felt not one ounce of regret.
He got on his feet and decided to go train. That was his way to cool off.
There were many things he didn't like. One was his father, but there were other things that irritated him.
If his father was Yahiko's role model, the man he wanted to become was somebody totally opposite. His role models were two men by the name of Shishio Makoto and Saito Hajime respectively.
Yes, Himura Kenji looked up to men that posed his father the most threat. And that was only because he didn't know about a Yukishiro Enishi.
The boy was growing up, and thinking for himself, but the path he was taking was not one in which his parents agreed. He loved his mother, but her ideals had never sat well with him. He wanted something more out of life, something he could never get by staying home and following his mother's teachings. The boy wanted power.
The place where he went to train was an isolated place, but that was why he liked it. He liked being alone, besides; training there, he knew that no one was going to find out his little secret.
He smiled at his own deviousness.
The boy trained hard for the day when he felt he could beat his father. He was training even harder now, since Yahiko had defeated him, and he had never thought of Yahiko as much of a fighter. He felt weak. He was angry.
Until he was completely drenched in sweat, and his whole body hurt he returned home.
"Kenji, where were you, we were worried?" his mother asked upon his arrival.
His anger being like an unguarded match, flared up in an instant.
"It is none of your business! You said it yourself in the afternoon didn't you; I am a man now! You don't have to know every little thing I do!"
His mother was left speechless.
"Kenji…his father started, but he knew what he was going to say.
He loved his mother, but not even she was exempt of his anger, and he would often lash out at her, leaving him to feel great regret later on.
"Mother, please forgive me." He told his mother, giving her a hug.
His mother said nothing, but being his mother he forgave his little outburst, just as she always did.
"What is bothering you?" his mother asked, concerned.
"It's…It's nothing." And with that he disappeared from their view.
His parents stood there, looking as his form disappear from their view.
"What do you think is bothering him so much?" Kaoru asked.
"Do not worry, it is that he is at that difficult age right now." Said Kenshin knowing full well what was really eating into his son.
