Chosha's Notes

Konnichiwa minna! Once again, welcome back to Fading Futures. Things are beginning to heat up as we come to the main part of the story. In my mind, it is in three parts. The first was Shinya's arrival and settling in; the second is the Festival and their adventures in that. The third… well, I'm not saying yet! Anyway, thank you to everyone who has read the fic so far, so arigato gozaimasu! Special thanks must go to my reviewers: Xeno, Inuwolf04, Lily of the Shadow, DrAgOnCiTa, Willow Evenstar and Delta74, who are really encouraging. I just hope you keep REVIEWING!

By the way, I've also started a new fiction too. It's a xover between RuroKen and Harry Potter, named RuroKen and the Philosopher's stone. I'm intending to do all Harry Potter books with a RuroKen twist. So, if you love RuroKen and Harry Potter, why don't you try that too?

Hope you like this chapter!

Xeno: You know, I hadn't thought of that. When I had Yukie (Shinya's GF) at the beginning, I thought of her as a sort of Misao type character. It does seem like they could have a relationship of sorts. I'll think on that for you. But I know Shinya and Misao are gonna team up in the future, though in what way…

Disclaimer: Nope, still own zilch. Thankfully, to cheer me up, Shinya and any character that doesn't appear in the Manga or Anime all belong to me!

Last time on Fading Futures:

A letter from Kyoto arrives, inviting everyone to the Star festival and it's getting everyone excited. Kenshin also looks like he's not so blind after all…

Tanoshimimas! (Enjoy!)

Chapter Thirteen

Arrangements

Kaoru was almost skipping as she and Shinya made their way through the semi-busy streets to the Ogura clinic, which was where Dr Gensai and Megumi worked. Shinya had been quite interested to see who the woman was. He recalled Kaoru and the others having mentioned her to him in passing during convocation, but he had never thought to ask. However, with Kaoru going to visit her to ask her, Dr Gensai, Ayame and Suzume to see if they wanted to go to the star festival with them, Shinya had jumped at the chance to come with her. Besides, he wanted to meet this person who, as Sanosuke told him, was 'as equally demented in personality'. Shinya snickered slightly as he remembered the convocation they had had that morning.

-Flashback-

The morning had started quite uneventfully. Yahiko was sweeping up the floor, grumbling about having to do all the work. Kenshin was sitting on the porch cradling a cup of green tea as he watched Sanosuke play Shinya (who had done the washing up and told he didn't have to help Yahiko sweep floors) at a game of Shogi. Kenshin had been quite surprised that Shinya had bet he could beat the rooster-head at the game. Of course, Sanosuke had rose to the challenge. Now, however, Sanosuke was looking as though he was regretting it. Shinya was actually one of the best players Kenshin had ever seen – except perhaps his Shishou. Inside, Kaoru was finishing up organising a few things. Kaoru had pulled off another number from the calendar when she gave a squeal of delight, startling the rest of the Kenshin-Gumi. Kenshin almost threw tea down himself at the unexpected sound, Yahiko merely sighed and muttered something about girls always screaming and Sanosuke shot her an annoyed glance as she had just caused him to put the counter in the wrong place in his game of Shogi. Shinya grinned as he placed his own counter down, proclaiming, quite humbly, "Ha! I Win! Loooser!"

Sanosuke smacked his hand on the floor. "Jou-chan!" he wailed, "Give us warning next time. Now you've gone an' put me off. Ko-oni's never gonna let me live it down!"

Shinya grinned and put his weight on an arm now slung over his shoulder. "Damn straight. Loser." He snickered as he dodged a punch Sano aimed his way.

Kenshin turned to Kaoru, ignoring the squabbling pair. "What's wrong, Kaoru-dono?" He asked.

Kaoru was practically beaming as she bounced forward. "It's a week before the festival!" she said excitedly. "Oh, and we've got to go visit Dr Gensai, the girls and Megumi-san and Tsubame-chan about coming with us! Then we've got to sort out what were gonna take and-"

"I hope you're not gonna take all that crap you made me carry when we went on that trip to Yokohama." Sanosuke growled.

Kaoru glared at him. "It was better to be safe than sorry" she snapped. "As I recall, if I hadn't brought all that stuff, I wouldn't have had a bokken to fight those train hijackers now would I?"

Shinya was sure he saw the ex-fighter-for-hire shudder at the word 'Train' and mutter something under his breath about ghosts and sewers.

Kaoru shook off the dark glare and said, "So I was thinking about going to tell Tsubame and Kenshin can get some stuff from town. You can take Shinya and go to ask Dr Gensai and Megumi-san – Shinya hasn't met Megumi-san yet-"

"What!" Sanosuke exploded, standing up so fast the shogi board toppled over and sent the counters raining over the floor. "You're askin' me to ask her to go to the Star Festival! Do you have any idea what thoughts would be floating round in that Kitsune's head if I asked her to go to a festival with me?" he glared at Shinya, who was giving him a look that clearly stated, 'no one said with just you. So that's how it is, hmmm? "Besides, Ko-oni's demented enough without meeting up with someone as equally demented in personality!"

"Sounds like we'd get on just fine then," Shinya smirked. Sanosuke looked like he wanted to throttle him.

In the end, after Sanosuke had literally got on his knees and begged Kaoru not to send him to Megumi, Kaoru had decided to go with Shinya instead, while Sanosuke would go with Yahiko to ask the girl Tsubame. Kenshin had just smiled, his eyes shinning mischievously, before making his way towards the town. Kenshin had a few things he needed to do…

-End Flashback-

With another snicker, Shinya caught up with Kaoru as she entered the building of the clinic.

There were a few people in the waiting room – an oldish woman with greying hair and a man who looked as if he had sprained his ankle by the swelling. Shinya grinned as he saw who the other two were. Ayame and Suzume, who had been playing in the waiting room, glanced up as they entered, their faces breaking out into two identically happy D's.

"Kaoru-nee-san! Shinya!" They shouted happily and threw themselves at them. Shinya laughed as he hauled Suzume from the floor and tossed her into the air, catching her. She screamed with laughter, yelling for him to do it again.

Seconds later, the door to the clinic itself slid open and Dr Gensai came out, followed by a patient and a tallish woman in a medic's Kimono. She had long, silky-looking black hair that was loose and reached somewhere round her waist. Deep, intelligent brown eyes looked back at them with a mischievous sparkle that Shinya instantly recognised. After all, he was probably the one who perfected it. Kaoru smiled at her.

"Megumi-san"

"Kaoru-chan! It's been a while." She turned her eyes to Shinya with interest. "And who's this?"

"This is Shinya Harada. He's my newest student at the dojo."

Shinya grinned. "It's a pleasure"

Megumi got that look in her eyes. "And he looks so much like Ken-san too. Shame he's a little too young! Ohohoho!"

Shinya stared for a minute at the fox-ears that had suddenly appeared on her head. He blushed as the implications sunk in. Ken-san? Shame he's a bit too young! So that's why Sanosuke kept calling her a vixen then! Suddenly it took all his will power trying not to laugh at Kaoru, who looked as if she was a fish out of water.

"Megumi-san!"

"Oh, come now Tanuki-chan. I have a lot of time to make up for." She turned a little more serious again. "Anyway, there's nothing wrong, is there? You haven't poisoned Ken-san with your cooking, have you?"

"Not yet…" muttered Shinya, who immediately made his eyes wide and innocent when Kaoru glared at him as Megumi laughed. "What?" He said angelically. She rounded on Megumi.

"What do you mean, poisoning Kenshin! Of course I didn't! My cooking not that bad--!"

Shinya coughed, which sounded suspiciously like 'Liar!'

"--Anyway, it's nothing like that! Misao from Kyoto sent us a letter, asking us to go to the Star Festival, and we were wondering if you wanted to go with us, along with Ayame and Suzume and Dr Gensai – if you want to come – and if you behave!"

Megumi put a finger on her chin, eyes sparking again. "Is Ken-san and Ondori-atama going?"

"Well of course they are… Hey what do you mean 'Is Ken-san going'! Keep your hands off him! He's not-"

"Ohohoho! Does that mean you and Ken-san are a couple now?"

Kaoru suddenly blushed ten shades of red. Shinya just smirked at the response. Yeah, any day now…

"Ooo, Tanooki's in love!" she chanted as Kaoru began to look very helpless indeed, prodding her fingers together while trying to think of a witty retort. Megumi tilted her head back and laughed again. "Sure, I think I will go, Tanooki-chan. Ohohoho!"

"Well, as much as I'd love to stand here and see you two getting on so well, we still got to see if Ayame, Suzume and Gensai-sensei are going at all," Shinya laughed at Kaoru's embarrassment and turned to Dr Gensai. "What do you think Gensai-sensei? You up for a holiday?"

Gensai stretched a little mournfully. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I'm meant to be going to Odawara to help out during the festival, unfortunately. I was actually going to ask if you could watch out for Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan."

The girl's eyes lit up. "You mean we can go, Grandpa?" they asked excitedly.

"Only if Kaoru-chan doesn't mind."

Kaoru had finally shook off her embarrassment. "Of course they can come. I'm sure they'll find it so much fun!"

"Yeah, and we have Ken-nii and Kaoru-nee-san and Megumi-nee-san and Shin-nii going too!" Ayame said happily, hugging Shinya. Shinya froze for a moment. Shin-nii… They thought of him as family…? Shinya mentally slapped himself several times to rid himself of homesickness that had suddenly gripped him. Stupid, stupid Shinya! No time for stupid Homesickness, dammit! Get your mind on track, baka!

Grinning so no one knew of his mental tirade, Shinya pulled the girls to him. "Sure! We'll take good care of them and everything, don't you worry. It'll be great!"

Dr Gensai smiled. "Then I'll drop them off at the dojo when its time. So," he said, turning to Kaoru. "When are you going to Kyoto?"

As Kaoru told him the details, the girls were practically dancing. "Yay! Festival! Festival! We're going to the Festival!" they sang, laughing.

Shinya grinned at the two as they began dancing for joy.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in town, Kenshin walked through the crowded streets where people were gazing in awe at some things, or bartering with salesmen about their prices. In his arms, he was already carrying the things Kaoru had asked him to get from town, but he wasn't ready to go back to the dojo just yet. There was something he needed to do first. He wanted to get something for Kaoru. Nothing too fancy – just something that will let her know he was thinking of her. Too bad he had never really thought what women might want anyway. The only experience of this sort (other than Hiko telling of his sexual exploits and passing it of as sex education) was with Tomoe, and he had never had the time or opportunity to do so – fighting in a war and all.

As he walked, Kenshin let his eyes travel over the stalls for something that might interest her, until a sweet sent caught him. Kenshin sniffed. Flowers? He looked around to find a stall that had a whole array of flowers over the surface of it. Lilies and Jasmine, Forget-me-nots, Carnations, roses of thousends of colours and scents that almost made his head spin. However, He paused and approached. Flowers would be a perfect present for her. But they couldn't be just any types of flowers; they had to mean something to her.

Kenshin glanced over the flowers, noting their names, colours and scents, but was completely stumped. What did he know about flowers? Flowers were never really part of his job description, and it wasn't as if he had ikebana as a hobby in his spare time. However, a middle-aged woman who ran the stall saved him. Cheerfully, she said, "Welcome! Can I help you in any way?"

Kenshin smiled, "Ah, yes. Sessha would appreciate the help."

"Sessha? My, you're a strange young man. Well, What's the occasion?"

Kenshin could feel himself go red. "I…ano…for a…uh…" The flower woman chuckled as he floundered and smiled a smile of pure delight.

"It's for a young lady, hmmm? Close to your heart?"

Kenshin felt himself, if at all possible, go even redder than before. All he could do without turning into a stuttering fool was to nod slowly. Jeez, what would Saito have thought if he could see the great Battosai floundering over buying flowers for a girl? He would have laughed his socks off, no doubt about it.

"Do you want this flower to have a certain meaning?" She asked as she began browsing through the flowers.

Kenshin nodded again, hoping she would know what he meant. He thought he would just die if he had to tell her exactly what he wanted it to say. He looked at the lady for her recommendation. The lady pulled out three flowers of a deep crimson colour that's petals seem to twirl into a spiral to the middle. He was oddly reminded of folded silk, the way he saw Kaoru's ribbons fall occasionally.

"These are called Roses. They are a symbol of love and a simple gift for a loved one." she smiled as she began to tie a red ribbon around the stems to hold them together.

"Thank you so much! How much will that be?" he said as he pulled out his moneybag and began to count his coins.

Flowers now neatly placed in a small box; Kenshin began to make his way back towards the dojo when something caught his eye. In the window of a shop was a kimono. It wasn't just any kimono, however. It was white, glistening with an almost pearl-like quality. Trailing down the left side and the sleeves were pale, baby blue butterflies and pale pink sakura blossoms. It wasn't just a pretty kimono – it was stunning. Kenshin couldn't help but wonder what Kaoru would look like in such a kimono. He found himself blushing right there on the spot.

Quickly, he shook himself from his daze. Face it Himura, you wouldn't have enough money to by her something like that even in a hundred years, he thought dismally. He was just about to leave when-

"Excuse me!" Kenshin stopped and turned back to find a young woman coming from inside the shop. She ran up to him. "Are you the young man who lives with the Kamiya girl at the dojo?" she asked, a little out of breath.

"…Aa." Kenshin answered, unsure where this was going.

"Did you want to buy the kimono for her?" she asked solemnly.

"Hai." he said. "But I'm afraid Sessha wouldn't have enough money for something like that, that I most certainly don't."

"You do know," She said, steering him back towards the shop, "that a lot of people scorn her because she allowed three men into her home, and she is not even married."

Kenshin gave a start. He had thought people wouldn't approve too much, but he hadn't realised people openly scorned her for her way of living. But Kaoru never complained about it.

"Do you want to win Miss. Kamiya's heart?" Kenshin turned a bright red. Eyes on her, he slowly nodded once more. The lady's face lit up in that instance.

"Well, you do realise if you marry her she won't be scorned anymore, and she can live in peace. It's wrong for people to judge her, just because she is a generous young lady! It's just wrong!" she said as she grabbed the kimono from the display table. "I see you also bought her flowers?" she asked as she eyed the flowers in Kenshin's hand. "Nice choice." she said as she began to wrap the Kimono.

"Excuse me onna-san! But Sessha doesn't have the money to pay for that, that I don't!" Kenshin replied as the lady finished tying the bow on top of the box.

"I'll tell you what..." the woman said, looking him in the eye, "you take this now and get the girl, and you send me an invitation to your wedding!" she said as she handed Kenshin the box with a sly smile. Kenshin took the box out of the lady's hand. His mouth opened but no words could express his gratitude.

"S-Sessha doesn't know what to say… This was just so gracious of you, that it was!" he said as he clutched the box.

"I'll be expecting an invitation real soon! Now go on home!" she said as she smiled a big smile and held open the door for Kenshin. This was certainly his lucky day! He could almost see the look on Kaoru's face when she receives the flowers. The kimono would be an extra special treat for the festival. Kenshin smiled. Yes, Shinya had been quite right. It would be for her sake. His happiness would just be an added bonus.

o0o

Kaoru had just come back to the dojo from her visit to the clinic. Shinya had gone to practice his swings with Yahiko and Kenshin was now preparing the bath for her, having finished down town long before Shinya and herself returned.

Kaoru returned to her room to change into her Yukata and collect her wash basket when something caught her eye. Lying there on her folded up futon were three, delicate roses, their stems entwined and tied together with an elegant crimson silk bow. Picking up the flowers, she breathed in the sweet scent, marvelling at its smell, curious as to who would have left her flowers. The certainly hadn't been there when she had left that morning!

As she was contemplating, something slipped from the flowers and fluttered to the floor. Kaoru blinked, puzzled, as she looked to see what had fallen. It was a small card, only a few inches long, fallen face down on the tatami mat. Slowly, she lent down to pick it up, carefully turning it over so as not to rip it. Her eyes widened and shone, a wide, radiant smile appearing on her lips as the hugged the beautiful flowers to her breast. The card once more fell to the floor, but this time, face up. Across the card was a slightly rough hand, one that she most certainly recognised.

Dear Kaoru,

With love,

--Kenshin

To be continued…

Chosha's notes

So Kenshin finally bucked up his ideas – about time, stubborn baka. Anyway, Now that Kenshin has realised things – partly because of what Shinya had said to him, and partly what he 'read' in Kaoru's eyes during the kitchen incident. And even though we all know he's head-over-heals for her, in true Kenshin style, he is doing it more for her sake than his own. He still thinks she could do better than him, but knows what Shinya had said was true. As said in the story, his own happiness is an added bonus for him, one he never thought he would be able to have again - poor Kenshin. But now comes the festivities as the Festival has finally come! By the way, 'ikebana' is the Japanese term for flower arranging.

I hope you review and tell me what you think!

Next time on Fading Futures

The festival is almost here and it's time to go to Kyoto, but first they have to get to Yokohama port. What do you mean we have to take the train! Next episode: To Kyoto…Again!

Ja ne for now, minna-san! See you next time!

Chosha Kurenai xXx